The packaging says Snapcase, but the music no longer says much of anything. Like most hardcore bands formed in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Snapcase have forsaken any notion of musical ingenuity and joined the blase ranks of the radio-ready. The group's hardly alone in shifting ideals, and at least they're still using darker chord progressions than most. But on the whole, this record is but a step away from MTV's new breed of Glam metal. Quite frankly, I'm more impressed with Korn.

Listening to 1995's Steps EP, you'll hear the best representation of a sound Snapcase all but invented in the early 90's; the group has unquestionably inspired most of the hardcore acts playing today. But following Steps, they began a rapid decline into multi-layered guitar rock. Designs for Automation is a once-invigorating band on its last legs. I sincerely question whether or not there's a drum machine on this record-- it's that poorly produced.

I can understand that it's hard to keep it together with bands like Staind and Godsmack co-opting your audience-- early teens rarely understand the import of politics, and guys in makeup always sell records-- but Snapcase are either playing to simpler tastes or are totally oblivious to the world around them. They've got ears, after all, so there's no easy answer to why they're satisfied releasing a record this below the mark.

Everyone knows this doesn't cut it anymore. There are much more intense alternatives to this sort of mid-tempo hard rock. Though the vocals are nearly as unnerving as you've come to expect, the music behind them differs very little from the rest of guitar rock these days. Foo Fighters, Face to Face and even Filter have already kicked the "over-the-top" left/right-channel guitar sound deep into the ground.

Any diehard fans still following Snapcase should feel cheated by Designs for Automation. This was a band you could stand behind a few years ago, and a more interesting group than most on the post-80's hardcore scene. But with the exhaustion of all options where Victory-style hardcore is concerned, and the rise of a thinking-fan's grindcore scene, time has eroded any relevance Snapcase once had.

-Chris Ott