Staind Chapter V CD

Staind: Aaron Lewis.
Audio Mixer: David Bottrill.
Recording information: Allaire Studios, Shokan, NY; Mardi Gras Studio, Springfield, MA.
Editors: Brian Sperber; Kurt Uenala.
Photographer: P.R. Brown.
By Staind album five it's remarkable how much bile still sits in Aaron Lewis' gut, how much mental anguish he's endured. But what's equally remarkable is how diligently he regurgitates it. He's like the post-grunge Job. Arguably emotion trumps Layne Staley and Alice in Chains as being the biggest component in this music. Lewis' first-person therapy drove the 2001 breakthrough "It's Been Awhile," his psyche was the star of 2003's 14 Shades of Grey, and he's once again searching, waiting, wondering, and flailing on Chapter V. "I'm still wearing this miserable skin," he cries in the churning "Please." "Why can't you just forgive me?" he pleads in the moody lead single, "Right Here." "I don't want to relive all the mistakes/I've made along the way." Staind often settles into a stodgy trudge somewhere south of melody, and the Alice/Pearl Jam/Tool forces are still strong. ("Devil" is like a Pearl Jam-branded template.) But the thing about Lewis is that he's just so genuine. Hundreds of frontmen pour out their emotions, from post-grunge bruisers to diary-clutching emo ninnies. But you can tell it's not a gimmick with Lewis. There are no illusions to his lyrics, no opportunistic shadows behind his words. "Tell me please/Who the f*ck do you want me to be?" -- Lewis could care less about looking macho when his heart's on the line. He searches for his emotional rescue in every note of every song, and if the hook suffers, well, too bad. Unfortunately they do suffer on Chapter V -- the mostly mid-tempo songs plod along, usually turning to a screeching lead guitar over chunky chording to differentiate the choruses. But by this point in the band's career it's likely fans are responding exclusively to Lewis' heady turmoil, not just waiting for a melody as strong as the one in "It's Been Awhile." V does still has its moments. "Take This" builds gently to an understated chorus -- it wouldn't be out of place on a Lifehouse album -- and "Right Here" is strong. As for rocking, "Falling" satisfies in a mid-'90s modern rock radio sort of way. But Staind is still about that wounded muscle in Lewis' chest, and whether or not he'll ever find redemption. ~ Johnny Loftus
With 2001's multi-platinum-selling album BREAK THE CYCLE and the accompanying hit "It's Been Awhile," Springfield, Massachusetts-based hard rockers Staind went from nu-metal contenders to crossover mega-stars. Luckily, however, fame did little to change the band's trademark mix of solidly melodic metal, earnest lyrics, and unpretentious what-you-see-is-what-you-get image. Two albums later, CHAPTER V shows the band branching out a little, albeit in a typically understated, tasteful way. Thematically, many of the songs here concern the price of sudden success and the group's relationship with its uber-loyal fanbase. "Reply" is a heartfelt thanks for every adoring letter, while "Run Away" expresses uncertainty about the fickleness of fortune. Musically, the group sticks to what it does best; a mix of grungy metal and heartfelt ballads, but with a few welcome twists such as the tricky Robert Fripp-like guitar picking on "Paper Jesus" and "Please" and the complex rhythm-section figures on "Right Here." "Everything Changes" is one of the band's best-ever slow songs, sounding more like the Goo Doo Dolls than Godsmack. A subtly affecting album of substantial music, CHAPTER V showcases Staind at the top of its game.