While I don't dislike Mangini, I think either by design or by limitations, His playing feels automated and bland to me on this album.
Like someone just used a good drum track machine instead of the playing from one of the best drummers in the industry right now.
*points to the groove at the end of A New Beginning*
Not one fill, ting, boop or flan through that whole thing. One or two kick tricks is all. Reminded me of listening to my parent's "Hooked On Classics" records where they just put an endless, looping disco beat behind Mozart and Beethoven. There's a number of other instances throughout the album where the playing feels so conservative and restrained that I wonder if he found himself struggling to keep up or something.
Oh well. At least his tones are way better than D12, I think.