Is there anyone else who isn't a big fan of Todd's voice? I tried listening to Condition Human the other day and I just couldn't make it through the entire record. I'm not sure whether it is the delivery or what, but there is just something about it that I don't like. An example would be the word "crucified" at 0:43 of the new song. It's not crisp and clear, and just sounds overdone.
I also notice that when I am in the mood for some QR, I never even consider the new releases. The material just doesn't grab me and stick with me. I think a part of it is the generic nature of the material, as others have commented on. I don't find the songs as dynamic or as intriguing, and that's what separated early QR from the rest in my opinion. If you're writing an album filled with mostly ~4:00 metal songs these days, there has to be something there that makes those songs stand out, whether it be crafting the instruments into a melodic shape that supports the vocal melody, a chorus that grabs the listener, or a song structure that takes you on a different path. I guess the issue is that early QR set the bar so darn high in my eyes. How can they live up to that now? They found themselves in a position after the Geoff debacle of having to "go back to the roots" to reassure the fanbase that the wuss-rock was out and there was an edge to their sound again, but also modernize their sound, and in my opinion, in trying to do both they didn't do either one completely well. And then they go out and tour so very little of the new material - so why even bother trying to be more modern?
What summarizes modern QR for me? Confusion and lack of direction. They could prove me totally wrong with this next album. In fact, I hope they do because it means we would be listening to a stellar album. I'll give it a listen, but my expectations are low.