Locally, Endo quickly aspired to greatness, releasing the independent effort "Evolve" to much fanfare in the underground, and eventually obtaining a contract with Columbia Records. While the metallic energy found within seemed likely to overwhelm the nu-metal legions, the adoration never quite came, leaving the band a little jaded and unsure where their future laid. After recollecting themselves, the group set out to retool their aggressive style, and "Songs For The Restless" is quite literally a reintroduction of sorts for this Floridian quartet. Now bearing a sound akin to Cold, Depswa and Hoobastank, Endo look to regain their once avid fan-base and in the process welcome in a new herd of rock fans.

Where "Evolve" was a ferocious blast of nu-metal solidified by a caustic industrial edge and scattered with occasional hip-hop flows, "Songs For The Restless" focuses on much more basic hard rock angst. Erased are the former rapcore connotations, replaced by Gil Bitton's sullen moodiness, an understandable alteration but one that unfortunately fails at it's desired effect. The album opens with a melancholy mood-set which explains why "Clean Sheets (And A Dirty Mind)" falls a bit flat. "Remember UsM" is a limp offering that is almost embarrassing to listen to, as Bitton exclaims "Do you remember us?" repeatedly and however unintentional, it comes across as a desperate plea to remind listeners that yes, Endo do still exist. The album does pick up some steam with "In Time We'll Fall", a vitriolic cut that excels at the turbulent nu-metal style, and is enhanced by the sudden melodic range of Bitton. Unfortunately this is a brief reprieve, as the album quickly returns to the Cold-lite entrapments it is mired in. As the record progresses it does shed some of it's hard rock melodrama and embellishes on the metallic fervor of their past work, yet Endo just seem to be lacking in the intensity department, allowing even the most promising songs to unravel due to their forced pop injections.

While Endo have become much more capable songwriters, the fact remains that this album feels awkwardly pieced together with little inspiration. By evolving into a watered-down hard rock ensemble, the band have wiped away their abrasive edge, as even the more aggressive offerings on this release fall rather flat. The group have assimilated themselves to the modern rock machine, a telling sign that they either had little confidence in their past sound or even less confidence in writing unique songs that could potentially draw attention to the band. This is a far too common occurrence, and one that sadly has reduced the band to being just another act, rather than having their own distinct sound. There are rare glimpses at a band who have the ability to be much more than this, but Endo often falter, instead retreating to the overly generic formula that the heart of this album is built around. It is all too clear that Endo are restless and unhappy with their current predicament, yet to be honest, these are simply songs for the desperate -- only designed to help re-establish a band that unfortunately failed the first time around.