A.D.D – “Elements of Emptiness” (Special Extended Version) (2008)

Label : Femme Metal Records

Review by Tony Cannella

Normally one would associate the letters A.D.D. as attention deficit disorder. In this case however it refers to a positively ferocious female fronted band from Lockport, Illinois. This band is called A.D.D. (which stands for Analog Digital Disorder). It is a cleverly ironic band moniker because I would defy anyone not to pay attention when listening to this – their debut CD – “Elements of Emptiness”. The band is comprised of 5 members: Margaret Young (Vocals), Dave Adams (Guitar), Jeremy Sparta (Vocals, guitar), Randy Berg (Bass) and Ron Bailey (Drums). With the intros out of the way, on to the music. With the opening track “The Path”, we are off and running. This is a cool opener that has a pretty solid, biting guitar riff. The vocals of Margaret Young are strong and well done. She alternates between a solid melodic style and more of an angry aggressive approach, depending on what the song calls for. The next song “Vacant” is another excellent track and one of my favorites. Some male vocals are presented here and they mix well with Margaret‘s. This is just a song that maintains a steady, zestful pace. The following trio of songs, “Maybe”, “Can’t Breathe” and “Too Late” does nothing to bring the energetic nature of the CD down. In particular the song Maybe is a venomous number with sharp, biting lyrics.  “Half of Me” goes from a slower track to a beautiful mid-tempo number, something the band does very well. Other highlights include “Bridges Burning” and “Silence”. The sound and production value are also very good. The band definitely put a lot of time and care into the CD. The final two songs “Waiting” and “Letting Go” (2003 demo) bring this collection to a satisfying conclusion. Definitely the strongest aspect of this band lies in the monster guitar riffs and all around musicianship. The songs are well written and the lyrics are angry, honest and sincere. In particular the lyrics to “Don’t Say” are some of the best I’ve heard in quite a while.  “Elements of Emptiness” features 11 songs and almost 45 minutes of powerful, in-your-face hard rock and metal. The songs are pretty straightforward, hard hitting, and passionate. A.D.D. is a band that will bear some watching in the future. The CD remains consistent throughout and A.D.D. is a worthy addition to the Femme Metal roster. There is nothing negative I can say about this CD. From top to bottom, it’s pretty solid and an enjoyable listen.