Having already received a Grammy nomination (Best Rock Performance for their EP, Made in America), there’s no question that Fever 333 are very much on the rise. That their debut album, Strength in numb333rs is out via the legendary Roadrunner label only serves as further proof of the band’s meteoric ascent – something very much aided by a series of explosive live performances at festivals across the globe including Download and Reading (UK), Fuji Rock (Japan) Lowlands (Holland) and many more. As if to demonstrate their manic work ethic, the band are currently touring in support of Bring Me The Horizon. Fronted by Jason Aalon Butler (ex-letlive), the band features drummer Aric Improta (Night Verses) and guitarist Stephen Harrison (ex-The Chariot), Fever 333 are liable to become huge with the launch of the politically-charged strength in numb333rs.
Opening with an untitled intro that sounds like Ministry sound-tracking a riot, Fever 333 make quite an entrance. It segues directly into super-charged debut single, burn it, which draws on a wide range of influences from Rage against the machine to Slipknot with its industrial exoskeleton, hip-hop influenced vocal delivery and Tom Morello-esque squeals. The chorus, in contrast, is seemingly aimed squarely at mainstream radio with its clean lines and memorable hook. However, what helps to set that track apart is Jason’s political awareness that sees him namechecking Rodney King and Martin Luther. It’s a ferocious, subversive blast, as exciting as it is relevant, and it really sets the album off. Similarly, Animal goes straight for the jugular from the off, sounding not unlike Linkin Park jamming with Shinedown. It seems to be very much the current trend in rock at the moment, with Shinedown and Within Temptation similarly employing the invasive production techniques of pop music to update their sound, but Fever 333 are far more comfortable with the process, losing none of their visceral weight in the process. Employing a blistering update of nu-metal tropes, prey for me/3, has just the right balance of hip-hop elements, ferocious guitar and throat-rending screams and, whether you wish it or no, it worms its way into the subconscious with a tenacity that is breath taking -hell, Fever 333 make it look easy. With the first half of the album hurtling past at light speed, the end is reached with one of us, a track that cheekily opens with what sounds like a children’s choir mouthing obscenities before morphing into a taut, industrial-strength rap beast that wisely saves the guitars for the chorus. Reminiscent of the brutal collaboration between Saul Williams and Trent Reznor, one of us does much to reinforce the band’s central message of unity.
Kicking off the second half of the album, Inglewood/3 heads even further into hip-hop territory, Jason making use of the form to share his experience of growing up within a society from which most Americans prefer to turn away. It’s the sort of track that cleverly spans the chasm between hardcore and flashy, modern pop, and it’s easy to imagine it opening up heavy music to a whole new audience with its hard-hitting lyrics juxtaposed against an incongruous, initially unthreatening musical backdrop (although you best believe it explodes towards the conclusion). Emerging from the harrowing finale of Inglewood/3, the skittering beats of The innocent is probably the point at which the album most obviously updates the RATM machine template, although a soaring chorus showcases a greater grasp of melody amidst the titanium riffs. The lengthy Out of control/3 starts out as a ferocious outpouring, as malevolent as its title implies, before stepping back from the brink and adding in a hefty dose of Linkin Park-style melodicism. It’s followed by am I here, the album’s most organic track, which dials back on the juddering noise, but potentially overdoes the strings when a more restrained approach might have proved more effective. It leaves the cleverly-titled coup d’etalk to round out the album with a fire and fury that leaves the listener on a high as the record spins to a halt.
On first listen, I wasn’t convinced that this album was going to be for me. However, where a lot of bands seem to be using high-tech production in a gimmicky way, Fever 333 have a powerful grasp as to how to utilise the power of the studio to augment without obliterating their performances. Clearly open to a wide array of genres, their open-minded approach successfully melds hip-hop metal, trap, hardcore and more without sounding like a compromise, whilst Jason’s ability to make the myriad political issues of the day accessible without feeling preachy lies at the very heart of the band’s success. Heavy but well-paced; intelligent and articulate; strength in numb333s is one of those rare albums that has the potential to provide a gateway into the world of heavy music for the younger generation. Fresh, relevant and often very exciting, strength in numb333rs is a consistently surprising record that has much to offer. 8.5
