With a name like
Epidemic and boasting a sound that has been described as modern rock, some may be frightened that the only epidemic to find here is yet another recycled alternative rock band emulating
Nickelback's success. Thankfully, this is not quite the case, as
Epidemic's self-titled debut skews toward the more aggressive side more often than not, and a comparison can hardly be made to many of the mainstream rock stars -- such as
Creed and
Default -- that continue to play a slightly smoother brand of what is best described as millennium grunge. Vocalist and primary lyricist Boris focuses more on current problems in the world -- such as illiteracy, poverty, and obesity -- and how they are often overlooked and considered routine. In this sense,
Epidemic is a refreshing rock blast that completely avoids the typical lyrical doldrums, making an effort to awaken the public to very real, ever-growing problems of society. Otherwise, this is a standard release, offering the average stylistic formats one would expect from a group of this nature. But due to the band's dedicated pursuit of bettering the world by focusing on these often downplayed "epidemics," this is a debut worthy of a listen. ~ Jason D. Taylor