Time Signature These ears (have heard)...

Genre: hardcore / alternative metal

While "State of the World Adress" is a great hardcore/crossover metal album, "Mata Leão" leaves a bit more to be desired. It's not that it's a bad album or a disappointment in any way, I just think it is not as captivating and inspiring as its predecessor.

It does have attitude, and there are times where it draws one in, like "State of the World Address" did, as in the chorus of "Authority" where it's impossible not to sing along to the "F*ck the rules, f*ck, f*ck the rules", and the following track "These Eyes (Have Seen)". However, a number of tracks are more sludge metal inspired, like "Cleansing", "Modern Democracy" (although it's a bit more upbeat), "Gravity", and "In Vain", and they tend to get a bit boring, I think, and end up a bit of a forgettable mass of songs. Other tracks are much more punky and probably more hardcore than metal, such as "Competition", "Better Days", "A Lot To Learn", "A Way", and "True Strengthw", but they're actually the best songs on the album, probably because they're fast and straightforward and energetic unlike the sludgy ones. "Waiting to Die" is also a pretty cool track; it's basically a hip hop track performed with rock instrumentation.

There is actually one are where this album is better than "State of the World Address" and that's in terms of the vocals which are much rougher and angrier on this one.

"Mata Leão" is not the best album in the world, but it does have a number of highlights. I think it appeals more to hardcore and punk fans than to metalheads, but maybe fans of sludge metal will appreciate it for its many sludgy tracks.