"Lot 49" is the second release from Vertigo Productions, the first being "The Underground", a release which featured the at the time unsigned artists Papa Roach, Alien Ant Farm, Five Pointe O, VENT and more. So with a successful track record in place, it is by no surprise that at least some of the talent featured on the roster of this outing will likely repeat history and go on to sign recording contracts of their own in the not too distant future.

Consisting mainly of independent artists, aside from recent Interscope signing dredg, "Lot 49" features bands all across America and as such, the quality and diversity between them is quite impressive. Essentially "Lot 49" has compiled a selection of tracks from some of the brightest stars in the up and coming underground scene, from the emo tinged melodic metal of [minus] and the technically lethal prog rock flavored alternative metal of Element Of Surprise, to the Deftones reminiscent aggression of WiLt and the thunderous moody crunch of STEMM. It's a well developed package that goes far and wide to prove that there is indeed unique and talented music still springing forth from the underbelly of today's rapidly becoming cliche mainstream culture, while also exposing the listener to some fresh new sounds.

Admittedly it may have a few misses here and there depending on the listeners musical preferences and not every song is exactly a masterpiece in its own right, as a few of the artists do sound a bit rough around the edges. But as a finished package, the quality of the recording of each track, the placement and the selection are all above average and when viewed as an introduction to a talented array of bands, "Lot 49" is well worth the price of admission and then some. A welcome purchase for anyone looking for something new.