20 minutes. Could that refer to the time this band has been in the music scene? Or perhaps the time they spend recording this debut? I know it can’t be the time it took them to come up with the song titles, because they are conveniently numbered from #1 to #8. Just imagine: “And now for our next song… #5!” But seriously, 20 minutes is a nu-metal band from Australia that recently signed with Icon Records. Their bio states that “.. they are an awesome cocktail of heavy hip hop with a twist of funk grooves”, and that “..their live shows are always dynamic and intense spectacles of shear energy and emotion”. I can’t be the judge of their live shows, but the album is definitely a collision of music styles. The songs are action packed and have some unexpected turns. However, they lack any special spark that would make the songs stand out from the masses.

This is due to two factors. One is the painfully apparent vocal limitations of the singer; this guy sings like there’s a bottle shoved down his throat and up his ass at the same time. The screaming backing vocals are very nice, though. The second is the production, or better, lack of it. This album sounds like it’s been recorded in a small room, filled with mattresses. The sound is fuzzy and clotted, NOT what you want when listening to complex music. So guys, replace the singer (or just stay with the screams) and demand a lot more money from your label for a decent studio and producer before recording your follow up, and who knows, you just might stick around a little longer than 20 minutes!