 STAIND
Chapter V
Atlantic Records 2005
www.staind.com
Sample it here
What’s the 4-1-1?
Guess which album this is for Staind?
Genre
Hard rock / alternative / modern
The Good
When it comes to innovative and intricate riffs, look no further than Staind’s
Mike Mushok. The albums opening track “Run Away” is a perfect example.
Aaron Lewis is his typical deep toned melancholy self with his vocal work. “Right
Here” is another mid-tempo hit for Staind that’s full of plenty
of sadness and regret (and another great Mushok riff). The chorus is instantly
memorable. “Paper Jesus” has one of the heaviest grooves that I’ve
heard from the group in a long time. It’s both fist-pumping and pit stomping
worthy.
“Falling” starts off with a powerful guitar section that
gives way to some clean guitar picking, and back again. Lewis sure has a knack
for writing and delivering lyrics that you’ll recall easy and sing along
with in no time. “Devil” is a simple track that shifts focus on
the lyrics rather than the backing music. “Everything Changes” is
an acoustic ballad that compliments some of the same sentiments in “Devil.” It
has a very emotional arraignment. Just as you start to get comfy and cozy with
the ballad, Staid reverts back to the heavy stuff on “King of All Excuses.”
The Bad
Nothing notable
The Verdict
I’m a casual Staind fan at best. I bought their first album and loved
it. Ever since then, I’ve just enjoyed their songs on the radio. However,
I was starting to think that the group was getting caught in a rut. Let’s
face it; most of the stuff they release to radio is down-beat, sad, and melancholy.
The first song that drew me to Staind was “Mudshovel,” and you
don’t hear anything like that from them on the radio.
Being able to
listen to Chapter V in its entirety, I’ve come to the conclusion that
they save the harder stuff for the album. With this particular album they
have a nice combination of slow stuff and heavy stuff. Lewis is the consummate
depressed vocalist and Mushok is always interesting with his licks and riffs.
Granted, Chapter V is more of the same for Staind, but it’s a solid
rock record never-the-less.
Did You Know?
Guitarist Mike Mushok was a student of Tony McAlpine.
Rating:  out
of 5
--George Dionne
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