Filter – "The Algorithm"

So, is this considered "oldschool" now?

Let's face it: There's not one single person out there whose favorite band is Filter. Those of you who are old enough to have qualified opinions about things might remember them by such singles as "Hey Man, Nice Shot", "Take a Picture", and the Crystal Method collab "(Can't You) Trip Like I Do" off the 1997 "Spawn" soundtrack. (Which, by the way, was much better than the movie. Not that that's saying a lot, though.)

And sure, while the band's '99 sophomore album "Title of Record" was on somewhat frequent rotation in my parent's basement back in the day, its '02 follow-up "The Amalgamut" never struck the same chord with yours truly – or most other listeners. And then, of course, main man Richard Patrick went into rehab, and Filter lost me by the wayside, going into stand-by only to resurrect as a revolving door of band members around its lone protagonist.

Anyhow, this newest Filter LP called "The Algorithm" was supposed to have been a collab between Patrick and long-time lost founding member Brian Liesegang who left after their '95 debut "Short Bus". It started out as such, but it didn't happen, Liesegang abandoning the project due to... well, reasons. Whatever. The important thing is that the album, whether due to Liesegang's involvement or not, damn well sounds like the band's heyday.

While Richard Patrick does play with newer elements, these songs could, overall, have been on any early Filter album. And shit, those early albums might have been better off like that.

It's evident already by the sneaky groove and simple three-note figure in opener "The Drowning", and by Patrick's conspicuously Deftones-esque vocal lines in both verse and chorus. He may not be a big singer by any standard, but for a guy like me, hearing his distinctly raspy voice again after all these years has an almost touchingly nostalgic feel to it.

Anyone who was ever into Filter – favorite band or not – will dig this. The many chord extensions, borrowing from equal parts Nirvana and Tool, signify the unmistakable sound of an era which, shit, some people might deem oldschool at this point. But Patrick, employing a keen sense of songwriting, occasional no-shits-given aggression, and insistence upon his musical roots in those eclectic '90s, makes "The Algorithm" seem as relevant as ever. While he does play with newer elements, like the gnarly, Meshuggah-esque bass attack in "Up Against the Wall", these songs could, overall, have been on any early Filter album.

And shit, those early albums might have been better off like that. First, infectious single "For the Beaten" is as close to a goddamn masterpiece as you get within the circumstances. I don't care how poppy that chorus is; the chorus vocal figure and chord progression are fucking perfect together. Same thing goes for the post-grungy "Sweet Summer Child", its title as cute as its melody, the harmony voices and cadence are fucking... Well, do I really have to end two consecutive sentences with the same three words?

Even though Filter may be nobody's favorite group, and even though Patrick remains the only original member, he's still more than good enough to deserve his career. "The Algorithm" is clear evidence thereof.

It does get a bit much, though, with "Say It Again" being a bit too sugary despite its downright metal riff. Also "Obliteration" sounds a bit too much like Linkin Park. However, unlike Linkin Park, Filter aren't riding a panderingly commercialized wave of what Richard Patrick was part of creating. People have, unsuccessfully, tried to pigeonhole Filter into several genres, but the band never passed themselves off as metal. – Hell, if they were, they'd just be limiting themselves.

Indeed, the album's side 2 features the uptempo, more electro-industrial "Be Careful What You Wish for", which would've worked better if it hadn't come in between the slow and somewhat forgettable "Threshing Floor" and the downright acoustic, radio-friendly "Burn Out the Sun". And herein lies the double-edged strength of Patrick's versatility as a songwriter; sometimes, he tries a bit too many things for his own good.

However, when "The Algorithm" is at its best, it's at least on par with any of the records that's long given the band enough exposure to sustain a career. And even though Filter may be nobody's favorite group, and even though Patrick remains the only original member, he's still more than good enough to deserve said career. "The Algorithm" is clear evidence thereof.

Rating: 4.5 out of 6

Genre: Alternative hard rock / post-grunge / semi-industrial pseudo-metal (feel free to add to the list)
Release date: 25/08/2023
Label: Golden Robot
Producer: Richard Patrick, I'm just gonna assume