The Sickness

The Sickness
Studio album by Disturbed
Released March 7, 2000
Genre Nu metal
Length 47:18
Label Giant, Reprise
Producer Johnny K, Disturbed
Disturbed chronology

The Sickness
(2000)		 Believe
(2002)
Singles from The Sickness
  1. "Stupify"
    Released: April 12, 2000
  2. "Down with the Sickness"
    Released: October 31, 2000
  3. "Voices"
    Released: November 21, 2000
  4. "The Game"
    Released: February 20, 2001
  5. "Fear"
    Released: 2001
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic [1]
Rolling Stone [2]
Spin 5/10[3]

The Sickness is the debut studio album by the American heavy metal band Disturbed. The album was released on March 7, 2000. The album peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200 chart and it has spent a total of 103 weeks on that chart, as of June 2010.[4] The Sickness has been certified 4x Platinum by the RIAA, with around 4,248,000 copies sold in the United States alone as of 2011, making it the band's most successful album.[5] It is one of three Disturbed albums to have the Parental Advisory label and contain high amounts of profanity.

Unlike Disturbed's later albums, which are mixed in style, The Sickness consists primarily of heavier songs. In addition, The Sickness includes much more profanity, darker lyrical themes, and more electronic elements than later Disturbed albums.

2010 reissue

On March 23, 2010, a reissue of the album was released, which includes B-sides, new artwork, and exclusive online content.[6] This reissue celebrates the tenth anniversary of the release of the album and is available for the first time in vinyl format.[7] Disturbed's guitarist, Dan Donegan, commented on the reissue: "[...] it's the album that put us on the map and launched our career. So we went back into the studio and we remixed it, we're having it remastered, we're gonna put a couple of bonus tracks on there and touch up some of the packaging and the artwork. Just a little collector's item, a little tribute to that album for the fans".[8]

The two songs included in the reissue, "God of the Mind" and "A Welcome Burden", are also included in a B-side compilation called The Lost Children.

Reception

In 2013, Loudwire featured The Sickness in their "Top 25 Debut Hard Rock Albums" list, placing the album at number 24.[9]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Disturbed, except where noted. 

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Voices"    3:11
2. "The Game"    3:46
3. "Stupify"    4:34
4. "Down with the Sickness"    4:38
5. "Violence Fetish"    3:23
6. "Fear"    3:46
7. "Numb"    3:44
8. "Want"    3:52
9. "Conflict"    4:35
10. "Shout 2000" (Tears for Fears cover)Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley 4:17
11. "Droppin' Plates"    3:48
12. "Meaning of Life"    4:01
Total length:
 47:18

The track "Stupify" actually lasts 4:07, but there is a 0:26 backwards-played instrumental part hidden in the pregap between tracks 3 and 4 that can only be heard by rewinding / playing straight through. It is a sampling of some of the guitar work heard on the next track, "Down with the Sickness".

Chart performance

Album
Year Chart Peak
position
2000 US Top Heatseekers[10] 3
US Billboard 200[4] 29
2001 UK Albums Chart[11] 102
2002 US Catalog Albums Chart[4] 1
2008 Australian Albums Chart[12] 30
US Hard Rock Albums Chart[4] 25
2010 Greece Albums Chart[13] 5
Singles
Year Song Chart Peak
position
2000 "Stupify" Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks[14] 12
Alternative Songs[15] 10
2001 "Down with the Sickness" Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks[14] 5
Alternative Songs[15] 8
2006 Hot Ringtones[14] 2
2000 "Voices" Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks[14] 16
Alternative Songs[15] 18
2001 UK Singles Chart[11] 52
2002 "The Game" Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks[14] 34

Certifications

Country Certification
Australia[16] Platinum
Canada[17] Platinum
United Kingdom[18] Gold
United States[19] 4× Platinum

Personnel

Disturbed
Production
  • Art direction, design, cover and object photography – P.R. Brown at Bau-Da Design Lab LA
  • Band photography – Jana Leon
2010 10th Anniversary Edition
International edition live tracks
  • Engineered by Tim Powell and Bif Dawes for Westwood One
  • Recorded in Chicago, IL March 10, 2000 at The Metro

References

  1. ↑ Huey, Steve. "Review The Sickness Disturbed". Allmusic. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
  2. ↑ Ratliff, Ben (September 28, 2000). "Rolling Stone Review of The Sickness, Mudvayne's L.D. 50, Relative Ash's Our Time With You, and Soulfly's Primitive". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 10, 2007. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
  3. ↑ Seward, Scott (June 2000). "Reviews". Spin (SPIN Media LLC) 16 (6): 158. ISSN 0886-3032. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "The Sickness: 10th Anniversary Edition - Disturbed". Billboard.
  5. ↑ Metal Hammer Forum - Einzelnen Beitrag anzeigen - Der relevante Charts/Verkaufszahlen Fred
  6. ↑ "Disturbed Begins Recording Next Album". Blabbermouth.net (Roadrunner Records). February 8, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Disturbed's 'The Sickness' To Be Reissued With Bonus Tracks, Expanded Artwork". Blabbermouth.net (Roadrunner records). January 12, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Disturbed Getting Ready To Record Next Month". Blabbermouth.net (Roadrunner Records). January 14, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
  9. ↑ http://loudwire.com/disturbed-the-sickness-best-debut-hard-rock-albums/
  10. ↑ "The Sickness: 10th Anniversary Edition - Disturbed". Allmusic. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Zywietz, Tobias. "Chart Log UK 1994–2008". Zobbel.
  12. ↑ "Disturbed - The Sickness". australian-charts.com. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
  13. ↑ "Disturbed - The Sickness". greekcharts.com.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 "Disturbed > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 "Disturbed Album & Song Chart History: Alternative Songs". Billboard.
  16. ↑ "Accreditations - 2006 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association.
  17. ↑ "Gold & Platinum Certification". Canadian Recording Industry Association.
  18. ↑ "BPI certifications". British Phonographic Industry.
  19. ↑ "RIAA Database Search Results for Disturbed". Recording Industry Association of America.