Height of Callousness (Dig) [Enhanced, Original recording reissued]

Spineshank | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 25, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced, Original recording reissued
• Label: Roadrunner Records
• ASIN: B00005M98I
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (119 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #310,845 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Asthmatic

2. The Height of Callousness

3. Synthetic

4. New Disease

5. (Can't Be) Fixed

6. Cynaide 2600

7. Play God

8. Malnutrition

9. Seamless

10. Negative Space

11. Transparent

12. Perfect Ending [*]

13. Full Circle [*]

14. The Height of Callousness [Force Fed Intergrity Mix]

15. Asthmatic [Punctured Lung Mix]

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Look beyond the headline-grabbing shock-rockers and public enemies that populate the thriving sphere of nu metal, and there's an often fascinating legion of young pretenders desperately eager to set the agenda. Spineshank, however, appear to have forgotten that it takes a little more than misanthropic attitude and clunky samplers to spar with an Antichrist Superstar. Sure, The Height of Callousness works the industrial hip-hop template for all it's worth (sometime Rage Against the Machine producer GGGarth works the controls), but with the likes of "New Disease" and "Cyanide 2600" offering precious little content between their clichés, this album begs to be pigeonholed. When this stuff works--see the electrified taboo pantomime of Static X's Wisconsin Death Trip, or the heavy black gothic mass of NIN's The Downward Spiral--it's because there's a splendidly contrary charismatic ringmaster running the whole bleak circus. Here? Well, let's just say that all this negativity isn't making any positives. --Louis Pattison

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is great!, October 10, 2000

By 

[e-mail] (Nottingham, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Height of Callousness (Audio CD)

Spineshank's debut disc `strictly diesel' was a competent and well-produced collection of Fear Factory/ Deftones style songs, that didn't quite have that special x-factor that makes a band successful, which is quite a shame as this lot are an excellent live band. Thankfully `The height of callousness' is a major improvement over its predecessor. This album has more melody than before and whereas the first album only hinted at an industrial/ techno influence, it is more prominent on this album. Although I mentioned melody, don't think this album is inoffensive pop because `Asthmatic' and the title track are two of the most intense and heavy tracks the band have produced and will appeal to Slipknot fans, while `Synthetic', `Seamless' and `Negative Space' show off the more melodic side of the band. This album isn't quite perfect, a couple of songs pass by but make very little impact and the sound is still very reminiscent of other bands. But, saying that, it's good to see that the band didn't take the easy (and trendy) option of adding a hip-hop element to their sound and this is far superior to a lot of the fake and contrived nu-metal released recently. Good stuff.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a huge improvement, January 26, 2001

By 

Mike (Long Beach, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Height of Callousness (Audio CD)

Proving to the metal community that the 'sophomore slump' isn't always inevitable for all bands, Spineshank come out of nowhere with their second album that absolutely kills 'Strictly Diesel' and everything else you're probably listening to right now.

From opener "Asthmatic" to the crushing closer "Transparent," "The Height of Callousness" produces all top-quality intensity with NO filler material whatsoever. Spineshank have pulled all the stops and obviously put a great deal of effort into this album and it shows - there's not a bad song to speak of, save parts of "Cyanide 2600" which is just a little too industrial/hardcore for my tastes and doesn't really flow well with the rest of the songs. My vote for best track here is tied between "Synthetic" and "New Disease," but they all rip.

Now here's the part where I stop writing and you go buy this CD. You'll thank me later.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AMAZING!, September 22, 2001

By 

"kwiksilver1566" (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Height of Callousness (Audio CD)

After all of my endless searches for something heavier than Rob Zombie, with tons of screaming, fast heaving guitars, techno-fusion, and melodic at the same time, I have finally found it! Theres no way to describe the sound of album in words. It has extremely awesomely heavy guitar riffs where it stops for a second while playing some techno rift, then explodes back in your face with something ten times heavier than before and the lead singer screaming, and it can still be melodic. The lead singer has the perfect voice for the way the music sounds, he can scream and sing in one short breath. This album rises way above albums by Disturbed and Drowning Pool. It has sort of a Static-X feel to it, but much quicker, with a more head-thrashing sound. Beware of the bands debut album, it is horrible. The best songs are ASTHMATIC, HEIGHT OF CALLOUSNESS, SYNTHETIC, NEW DISEASE, and PLAY GOD. The first 4 songs are the heaviest on the album, but the other songs are great too. Its really a shame that this band lives in the shadows of bands such as Slipknot and Limp Bizkit. It doesn't matter to me though, because I live off of underground music. If you like bands such as Limp Bizkit, Static-X, Slipknot, Orgy, Methods of Mayhem, System of a Down, Prodigy, Incubus, Deftones, Korn, Powerman 5000, Rob Zombie, RATM, or [last but not least] LINKIN PARK, you will really like this album. GET IT!