Artist: Staind
Title: Staind
Genre: Alternative Metal / Rock / Post-Grunge
Release Date: 9th September 2011
Label: Roadrunner
Album Review
STAIND’s career spans over 16 years, counts seven studio albums with the newest self-titled LP added to the count. They were once a band that could sell 15 million records and their involvement with Fred Durst from LIMP BIZKIT was also well known; he produced their second album, they toured together and Durst performed together with them for ‘Outside’ in Mississippi Coast Coliseum in 1999. Many of the album’s songs were given as teasers already so many will have an idea what the album’s like already. After several ‘softer’ albums their Rock-ish position is back to flirting with Metal. The turn was apparently spurred on by performing PANTERA song during a tribute to Dimebag.
Sure the opening ‘Eyes Wide Open’ already rips into the heavy territory and is one of the best songs here. It’s fierce, aggressive and laced with some of Nu Metal variances. The song is powerful and has diverse elements that it marries off successfully. ‘Not Again’ is more of a grungy number, and though interesting and good enough, it’s not really enthusing me, it lacks in innovative spirit and a heart in its energy. ‘Failing’ was better in the terms that it turned the grunge into something livelier and less of dragging its funereal mood around slug trails. ‘Wannabe’ got it back to a more interesting track. Its vocals go into rapping with tearing ironic wit, and again more aggressive. It reminded me of CYPRESS HILL’s (Rock)Superstar. ‘Throw It All Away’ is slower, but quite intense and emotive song, a wonderful one for sure and makes a great contrast to all the other songs, in that spirit and juxtaposing the harder songs between the two, the last song ‘Something To Remind You’ closes the album, even slower and quite a nostalgic song.
So is seventh their luckiest? Time will tell. The Metallic taste to this album was certainly welcomed and a great turn. There were some lose ends in my opinion that didn’t make it for me to feel it’s their best album, but hey, there’s always next time...
Tracklist
01. Eyes Wide Open - 3:30
02. Not Again - 4:34
03. Failing - 5:26
04. Wannabe - 3:49
05. Throw It All Away - 4:24
06. Take a Breath - 3:56
07. The Bottom - 4:15
08. Now - 3:44
09. Paper Wings - 4:21
10. Something To Remind You - 4:07
Line-up
Aaron Lewis – vocals
Mike Mushok – guitar
Johnny April – bass
Websites
www.staind.com/ / www.myspace.com/staind
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 7.5
Sound: 8
Total: 7.8 / 10
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