French Djent band KADINJA look back to the Nu-Metal, Rap Metal and Alternative Metal scene of the late 1990s and early 2000s on "DNA - Dedication. Nostalgia. Addiction," providing a Technical- and Math-tingled fest of diverse covers, ranging from LIMP BIZKIT and KORN to DEFTONES and A PERFECT CIRCLE.

This talented band pays homage to several classic tracks on here, adding their own flavour to them, succeeding the most both when they go full on aggressive mode and when taking a more emotional route. It's a catchy album and starts quite strong with the double combo of "Hot Dog" and "Point of Authority," filled with Djent-y, complex guitar and electronic breakdowns.

A Pop-Punk feel takes over most of the vocal harmony sections, while Philippe Charny Dewandre also has a snarky edge closer to Trent Reznor. These two qualities collide on the soft breakdown of "Falling Away from Me" or "Between Angels and Insects."

"My Own Summer (Shove It)" feels closer to the original, emphasizing the exotic guitar patterns and Post-Metal sensibilities of DEFTONES. It is an exquisite rendition, highlighting the band's talent to building and sustaining atmosphere. Subtle electronics provide interesting textures and the band manages to take a spin on that aggressive coda. Meanwhile, "This Is the New Shit" bridges Industrial and Djent, keeping the Manson drama intact.

The album flows nicely from hard-hitting, math-y, groovy and belligerent tracks towards softer, more emotional ones from an Alternative Metal selection. "Spit It Out" serves as the breakpoint, being the heaviest song here. The last three tracks are more melodic but still have their edge.

"Alive" highlights the powerful chorus of the original track with a Shoegaze-like usage of distortion as texture, while "Passive" puts an emphasis on A PERFECT CIRCLE's and TOOL's relationship, feeling at times like the latter covering the former. SYSTEM OF A DOWN's "Aerials" is a perfect choice for a closer. Although the cover is quite straightforward, ending with an acapella coda is an inspired choice.

The production is fine, although the bass could be mixed more clearly and the drum tone gets a bit sterile at points. The softer tracks get enough room to breathe, giving the album a little more dynamism.

Although KADINJA breathe some new life into the songs here, "DNA" rarely rises over what cover collections tend to do, and besides the occasional surprise ("Passive", for example), it's a typical affair. Still a fun one, worth a couple of spins for sure.