Acumen Nation - More Human Heart

Acumen Nation (formerly known as simply Acumen) have broken free from the chains of Fifth Column Records and this CD, More Human Heart, is one of the first to be released by the new New York label, Conscience Records. Jason and the rest of the gang still manage to combine intricate beats with a slight metal edge on this, their third full length. Cancerine is one exception to the overall sound of this album in that it is less reliant on the heavy guitar riffs and more reliant on Jason’s vocals and a slightly trippy beat. If You Were does contain those chugging guitar riffs along with a catchy vocal delivery and a sparse percussion line. Returning to a more developed beat, Unkind melds the metallic dance beats together with some scratchy sequences and tough guitars. As a bizarre techno orientated piece, Fuck Yer Brains Out works, but it isn’t really what you might expect from Acumen. The album finishes with Dreamheart / Crush’d, a nine minute excursion through progressive rock, experimental techno, and heavy metal. More Human Heart is a decent album, but it doesn’t really hold together. Aside from the vocals, there’s no flow or any cohesiveness from track to track.