Cellout are an engaging four piece hailing from the “World’s Smallest Big City”, Stockholm, Sweden. Firmly entrenched in one of the most despised genres of music (the dreaded nu-metal), will these Swedes break the stereotypical mold or find themselves being thrown to the wolves in a genre that burnt out almost a decade ago?

Superstar Prototype‘s introduction titled “Dark Days” comes out blazing like an afterparty following the BET Awards. One thing that will instantly grab you is just how big the band’s overall sound is. Produced by Michael Phelan and mixed by Ulrich Wild (Static-X, Otep, Breaking Benjamin, Deftones, etc.), you know that you’re getting first class production values from top to bottom. The huge wall of guitars are perfectly encased with “phat” bass lines and exploding skins. “Dark Days” has a great groove, a killer hook and choruses that are extremely contagious. When it comes to Cellout’s sound, this is where it might become a little dicey for some people. Combining elements of Trust Company, Dry Cell and Dope, this band totally screams early 2000′s. I found that vocalist Percy Mejhagen’s grungy range nestles somewhere between Kevin Palmer (Trust Company), Scooter Ward (Cold) and Jeff Gutt (Dry Cell).

“The Gift” and “Set Things Straight” are absolute must listens on the album. Of the two tracks,”The Gift” is definitely the more melody driven, that’s for sure. From the driving double bass intro to the very laid back Cold-style verses, you will find yourself feeling tossed around like a rag doll. The bridges are filled with these big slabs of guitar, drums and bass that are just plain sick. Another thing that drew me to the song was the extremely melodic choruses that spread like a wildfire through your skull. If you feel like being beaten and battered though, then skip to “Set Things Straight.” Opening with a nasty guitar line and wicked background alarm noises, you just know that you’re about to be assaulted. With battering ram force, Cellout come barreling down on all of your remaining senses.

Sounding like it could have been taken off any of Dope’s last few albums comes “Breathe.” I don’t care if you like nu-metal or not, you have to give this track a listen. I’m telling you, this song is a face-pounding ass shaker from the get go. The axes are absolutely fierce, while the band follows suit with nasty grooves and more muscle than the German women’s bob-sled team. There is no doubt that this song will garner some bloody noses in a circle pit.

I will say that there are some songs that I didn’t get into at all. “Flooded” sounds like it could have been a bonus track off any Cold album. Mejhagen’s voice is just average at best as he tries to swoon the listener but never really pulls it off. It’s an okay song, but nothing makes it memorable or special at all. While “The Tragedy In You” has a ton of angst and punch, it feels way too repetitive and more like a bunch of ideas just thrown together. Plus, the main riff sounds way too similar to Drowning Pool’s “Pity” for my taste.

Something else that I noticed was that the Superstar Prototype gets heavier as it moves along. A lot of albums nowadays tend to go from heavy to light as they progress, but this cd is the total opposite. Cellout ratchet up their aggression later on, and it really makes for one heck of an exciting ride. For instance, tracks like “Fake” and “In My Arms” really showcase not only the band’s allure, but also just how destructive they can be. Both tracks display mind bending riffs, bumping grooves and alternating melodic and heavy vocals.

In the end, critics of the most loathed genre in music will probably still harbor hate and animosity towards an album like Superstar Prototype without even listening to a single note. But for those who have an open mind and just want some rockin’ tunes, definitely give this album a spin. It’s not breaking any new ground, but it might just change your mind and even make you become a fan.

3.5/5