Throughout their earlier efforts Raunchy seemed set to follow a similar musical path as Fear Factory, a band who at the time, they also liberally borrowed from. But as line-up changes and years past by, Raunchy increasingly moved in a more melodic, poppy direction that has now evolved, and perhaps reached its peak, with "Wasteland Discotheque".

What this evolution amounts to is an array of Euro-styled melodic metal made danceable by having upbeat tempos and clean glossy vocals present at nearly all times. Sure this seems refreshing for the first few songs, but its not long before a formulaic nature sets in as winding riffs, peppy drum beats and electronic nuances all interconnect together in barely discernible configurations. It's also around this time the listener will probably realize this album is equivalent to a European metalcore tribute to Celldweller.

Sure, the catchy songwriting and firm grasp on soaring melodies is quite impressive. But their overall impact on this disc seems only skin-deep as each song follows a similar trajectory with little substance lurking underneath. While ultimately a rapid blur, "Wasteland Discotheque" is enjoyable to an extent while listening to it. It's just that it's incredibly hard to remember any of it afterwards.

In fact, you know it's bad when the included cover of Rockwell's 80's hit "Somebody's Watching Me" has the only memorable chorus. Still, for some this lighter take will be a much needed respite from the doom and gloom of modern metal. However, the rest of us could probably get the same experience by dropping E and heading into the mosh pit at a Soilwork show.