Army of Anyone (CD - 2006)

Personnel: Richard Patrick (vocals); Dean DeLeo (guitar); Ray Luzier (drums); Robert DeLeo (background vocals).

Audio Mixer: Ken Andrews.

Formed by Filter singer Richard Patrick and the Stone Temple Pilots' Dean and Robert DeLeo, on its self-titled debut album Army Of Anyone plays panoramic hard rock much in the vein of both of its participants' former outfits. "Disappear " appealingly blends prog and pop, managing to sound a little like a Sting song in the process, while "Goodbye" aerates its slamming rock & roll with a pleading, ethereal chorus.

When Richard Patrick asked the DeLeo Brothers of Stone Temple Pilots fame to guest on Filter's fourth album, he never expected where it would lead. But so satisfying was their collaboration, "A Better Place," that the trio decided to continue it, leading, upon the enlistment of drummer Ray Luzier, to the birth of Army of Anyone. The taster for their eponymous debut album, "Goodbye" has already been welcomed by fans of both bands and then some, lighting up radio coast to coast. That electrifying song certainly sets the stage for the full-length set, which is filled with sharply written numbers filled with dynamics, musical nuances, and a big sound courtesy of producer Bob Ezrin. Delicate moments are also found within, as on the sweeping "A Better Place," awash in muted atmospheres and glorious guitars. "Disappear" features sumptuous strumming guitars, but here the aura swirls toward psychedelia, while "Stop, Look and Listen" is painted in gentle pastels. The set's finale, "This Wasn't Supposed to Happen," is so rich in ambience, you could almost cut it with a knife, a moody ballad that shimmers in dappled sunshine. The set opener, "It Doesn't Seem to Matter," is its polar opposite, a big rock number with storming, searing guitars and a pulled-back, chiming chorus. Other sonic assaults follow -- "Generation" with its phenomenal dynamic shifts; the bluesy "Ain't Enough"; and the churning, metal-riven "Father Figure." It's a sumptuous set, with a density of sound and atmosphere that almost echoes of the Verve, but so solid and potent is the rhythm section that the comparison is far from satisfactory. With its mixtures of moods, subtle use of genre-shifting, and powerhouse guitars, Army of Anyone breaks down the rock barriers, and fans should be joining up by the droves. ~ Jo-Ann Greene minimize