The Texan band’s self-titled album, Element Eighty distills on the single Broken Promises everything that briefly made its reputation: a sturdy nu-metal tinged with alternative metal, cutting riffs and poignant choruses carried by David Galloway’s versatile voice. The record stands out for writing more melodic and introspective than the genre average, without giving up the heaviness.
The clean production highlights dynamic transitions and a sense of tension that at times recalls early Deftones or Chevelle. Some tracks stay conventional and the album does not fully escape the formulas of the era, but the sincerity of the performance and the quality of the choruses make it a modest success, cult-loved by a devoted community.
