Endo may not have anything new to add to the rap-metal genre, but on the evidence of their debut album,
Evolve, they have been listening carefully to their predecessors, especially Sony labelmates
Korn and
Rage Against the Machine. The usual lockstep rhythm section underlies the usual simple power-chord guitar playing, all of it supporting the usual howled vocals that express dissatisfaction in extreme terms. Lyricist/singer Gil Bitton is another unhappy youth, seeming to hate his own life as much as he does the world in which he lives. At various times, he tries to work himself up to a desperate hope, but for the most part he's consumed by anger that he describes inchoately. It's a message that has a demonstrated appeal to a certain audience, and though Endo's music sounds interchangeable with that of many other rap-metal bands, that may give them a chance to break through. ~ William Ruhlmann