martindavey87
F5 were one of many bands that popped up around that transitional period after the nu metal fad had died and everyone was trying to ditch the label and fit in with the "old school" approach that was back in fashion. Or simply put... nu metal bands were now calling themselves "alternative metal".
Still, this is an all-round good effort. They have the contemporary sound nailed perfectly, with enough melody and groove to appeal to fans of modern metal, yet with the guitar chops to please fans of older, riff-based bands. The melodic vocals suit the music perfectly, making for some catchy, inoffensive and totally unashamed metal listening.
While my interest in the band was somewhat piqued by vocalist Dale Steele, whom I was familiar with after his work on Sick Speed's 'The Way I Am' (I won't hold it against you if you've never heard of them), it was mainly bassist David Ellefson, a founding member of Megadeth, who gave this band instant credibility. However, his later return to the band he helped form would pretty much ensure that F5 would forever be nothing more than "that band Ellefson was in while he wasn't a member of Megadeth".
Standout tracks include 'Faded', 'Dissidence', 'Hold Me Down', 'Bleeding', 'Fall to Me', the title track 'A Drug For All Seasons', and an interesting cover of Eddie Brickell & New Bohemians' 'What I Am'. The album itself is fairly short, consisting of twelve tracks with a total duration of 36 minutes, leaving barely any time for any lapses in quality. It rocks from start to finish. Short, simple and effective.