By Adam Bowman

After scoring two primo tours with Machine Head and Papa Roach, Darwin's Waiting Room have created a respectable following with their debut album for MCA, "Orphan," which blends the now almost standard dueling vocals with guitars set on 'funk metal.' The formula should sound familiar, but with the band's tendency to rely on music than technology, Darwin's Waiting Room manages to keep their music fresh, and set themselves ever-so-slightly apart from Linkin Park or Limp Bizkit.

Although the same formula is essentially repeated throughout the album (as is sadly the case with most rap-rock workings,) songs like "Live For The Moment" and the name-laden "D.I.Y.M." are good enough to perk up the ears during a run-through, as well as the opening single, "Feel So Stupid." Joe Perrone and Alex Cando combine to form a solid rhythm section, as they handle every start-stop riff thrown their way with a cool style and a this-is-almost-too-easy grace. Most veterans of rap-rock can probably predict when emcee Grimm and singer Jabe are going to chime in, but their melodies work well in most cases, with few exceptions. Any fan of rap-rock is going to dig Darwin's Waiting Room, but if you're expecting another Linkin Park, get ready to hear more live instruments and less technology. Some of the songs will be misses to die-hard rap-rockers, but there's enough to satisfy most hardcore followers, and maybe even pick a few newbies, as well.