STAIND - Chapter V

STAIND
Chapter V
Atlantic Records
8/10




Certainly, if Limp Bizkit vocalist Fred Durst had never witnessed Staind’s impressive live set opening for the LB back in 1997 and subsequently landed the band a recording deal, someone, at some point, would have stumbled upon this band anyway. Being both rock-solid songwriters as well as highly emotive performers, Staind were destined to be put in front of the public eye. It is that public that embraced the band’s auspicious debut; Dysfunctional and that have stuck by this highly listenable group through stellar albums like Break The Cycle and 14 Shades Of Grey.

Digging into Chapter V is an intensely rewarding experience, with each track on the album revealing a wizened songcrafting sensibility. Spacious hooks seal the deal for lead off cut Run Away, as Aaron Lewis leads the band through a brilliantly orchestrated exercise in benchmark modern rock.

His voice remains as resounding as ever, and his poetry as subtly luminous. Those that enjoy the brooding, mid-paced aura which betrays both feelings of depression and desperate hope that has become the signature sound of Staind will revel in the lushly textured Right Here, as Staind offer a more visceral eminence than the majority of their comparably accessible peers. As Schizophrenic Conversations fades in softly, the band’s dynamic presence builds to an intensely dramatic crescendo. Here, Lewis’ vocals radiate with a familiar warmth and ultimately are the deciding factor in the song’s profoundly memorable nature.

Still not afraid to inject touches of metal riffing into their sonic palette, the axes cut sharply on Devil, while the beckoning Please incorporates both a swift beat and a colossal hook.

To be critical, Staind play by the rules on this well produced record, but when a band does it this well, it’s difficult not to enjoy it; however it would be nice to see the group taking a few more chances. That said, Chapter V is a benchmark example of vital rock that finds the group making deep strides in delivering top quality music as well as exhilaratingly adept performances during a time when their career is thriving. Bearing all of the hallmarks of a diamond selling album, the music of Staind resounds magnificently on this stellar effort.


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