Quite honestly, I have never been a Cranberries fan--this album didn't change that . . . at all. At least their first album rocked a good bit, but it seems they've buried their axes in favor of contrived little mellow pop tunes. Queen Berry, Dolores O' Riordan, drones her depressing tales against the backdrop of melodies far too happy to match. It almost seems as if the Cranberries have become stuck in the 50s, with their "Put on a Happy Face" music, cheesy vocals, and retro echo effects--they even manage to make a song about a pedafile sound pleasant.

The song "Promises" is the only redeeming composition of this release (if you can overlook the Oompa Loompa accentuation's in a few of the lines--how many bands can you call Willie Wonka-esque?). Bury The Hatchet is full of trite lyrics and passionless delivery--if I were you I'd save your Cranberry money for Thanksgiving--you'd be better off buying Molly Hatchet.