Breaking Through

With the release of 'Breaking Through', Saliva attempts to navigate the contemporary landscape of alternative metal by retreating into the well-worn architecture of the late nineties. While the production is polished to a clinical sheen, it fails to compensate for a lack of genuine structural innovation. The album functions as a curated collection of nu-metal staples—gritty textures, syncopated grooves, and the obligatory dynamic shifts—but it treats these elements as a checklist rather than a creative mandate.

Opening with 'Hit 'Em Where It Hurts', the band immediately establishes a familiar sonic palette. The rhythm section provides a stable, albeit predictable, foundation for the guitars. From a technical standpoint, the construction is functional, but it lacks the sophisticated interplay that defines top-tier alternative metal. The transition into 'Cope' and 'Too Broke To Fix' reinforces this trend; these tracks rely heavily on repetitive motifs to build tension, a common tactic in the genre, yet here it feels more like a lack of compositional ambition than a deliberate stylistic choice.

A collection of convenient hooks and safe progressions that forgets that heavy music requires more than just a downtuned riff to resonate.

By the midpoint of the record, the momentum begins to flag. 'Breaking Through' and 'Sadistic Love' attempt to inject a sense of urgency, yet the vocal delivery remains anchored in a safe, radio-friendly territory that prioritises catchiness over emotive complexity. The production choices are undeniably competent—the low-end is tight, and the vocal layering is precise—but the sheer polish actually highlights the thinning of the songwriting. When every frequency is perfectly accounted for, the lack of musical risk becomes glaring.

'Edge of a Knife' and 'Rivers' provide a glimpse of the band's potential for atmospheric weight, yet they are undercut by over-simplistic chord progressions. In these instances, the goal of 'mood' is achieved through production effects rather than sophisticated harmonic movements. 'Peace of Mind' and 'Fight of My Life' follow suit, leaning into the anthem-heavy structures of early 2000s rock. It is a safe bet for the target demographic, but it is a regression for a band with Saliva's pedigree.

Moving into the final act, 'Sin City Mistress' and 'Last Goodbye' try to pivot toward a more melodic, almost alt-rock sensibility. While these tracks are passable, they don't offer anything that isn't already over-saturated in the current market. The closing tracks, 'Weird' and 'Longshot', serve as a somewhat tepid conclusion. 'Longshot' specifically feels like a safe landing, offering a digestible finish that avoids any challenging territory or unexpected turns.

Critically, the album suffers from a dilution of identity. By trying to inhabit every corner of the 'alternative' umbrella, Saliva loses the specific edge that gave their early work its bite. The core issue isn't the quality of the individual performances—the musicians are clearly proficient—but the structural decisions made by the songwriting team. It is a 'safe' record in every sense of the word, from its arrangement to its production goals.

In conclusion, 'Breaking Through' is a proficient piece of industrial-adjacent metal, but it lacks the spark of originality. It is a collection of echoes. It provides the expected sounds of the nu-metal era without the genuine evolution of the craft. It is a functional product for a specific market, but it will not leave a lasting mark on the evolution of the genre. It is competent, but it is ultimately hollow.