Pete. Review

07/13/2005 7:11 AM, AMG


These days ya can't throw a rock at AOR radio or MTV without hitting some new aggro band taking the nu-metal bandwagon for a spin around the block. But while this New Jersey-based quartet traffics in the same formulas that other bands of the genre have ridden to Ozzfest-style success, Pete.'s saving grace is Rich Andruska, whose bludgeoning guitar attack is tempered with a knack for melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, and subtle synth textures that give the band's in-your-face riffage an artier bend. Their debut single, "Sweet Daze," sounds like a slightly harder Stone Temple Pilots, with an anthemic, arena-ready chorus that begs for a cranked-to-ten sing-along. "Burn" sounds like a funkier, edgier Pearl Jam, with singer David Terrana capturing the same sense of passion and pain that made Eddie Vedder a star. Ultimately, Pete.'s sound may not be very original, but their songs are more than solid enough to appeal to fans of the heavy rock genre, giving them time to find and develop their own sound. ~ Bret Love, All Music Guide