http://www.blistering.com/fastpage/fpengine.php/link/1/...5/tempidx/4/menuid/2

Staind’s forthcoming album (available August 19th) The Illusion of Progress comes attached with much hype, considering the group’s last three efforts entered the Billboard Charts at the #1 spot, a feat only accomplished by U2, Dave Matthews Band, System of a Down, Van Halen and Disturbed. Staind began their career as another nu metal band in a sea of Korn clones, but their 2001 effort—the appropriately titled Break the Cycle—showed the group focus their efforts on creating radio-friendly, hard rock songs with a strong emphasis on vocal melodies. Singles like “It’s Been Awhile” thrust the group into the lime light, where they remains to this day.

The Illusion of Progress offers little deviation from the hook-heavy compositions demonstrated on their last three Billboard-busting efforts. Staind kicks off The Illusion of Progress with arguably the album’s strongest track, “This is it.” This track contains a greater amount of attention paid to dynamics. Aaron Lewis and band gradually build subtle Pink Floyd-like melodies, releasing this emotive energy at the arrival of the chorus. The dynamics of this track have always been a key factor in the group making memorable hooks, which is the case here, but the Pink Floyd influence and Lewis’ dual-sided vocal approach present new avenues for the band.

“This is it” has enough radio sensibilities to make it a hit single, but Staind already planned on using “Believe.” This track works a similar formula as the above song. The verse lines have a closed quality that opens bit by bit, until it reaches a heartfelt crescendo during the choral lines. “Believe” has Mike Mushok plucking clear notes from an acoustic guitar. His electric guitar is much less obvious than “This Is It,” which could be said for the duration of the album.

One aspect of “Believe” that separates it from the other tracks is the song’s uplifting tone. Lewis’s voice reflects well the song’s theme of hope. Although the album doesn’t convey an overwhelming sense of sadness in the music, the album title and song titles relate morose thoughts and emotions. The Illusion of Progress has a skeptical, hopeless ring, while the two consecutive tracks bearing rain in their title—“Raining Again” and “Rainy Day Parade” paint a grey, dismal picture. The later track features subtle blues leads and a large bass sound, which next to “This Is It,” make this song one of the heavier tracks on the album.

Staind has found a formula proven commercially successful. This formula is one perfected by most bands found on the radio. Aaron Lewis is at the center of the formula. His voice dictates the musical highs and lows found on each song. In this regard, The Illusion of Progress stays consistent with past efforts. The slight blues and psychedelic elements combined with Lewis pushing his voice to greater heights shows a progression, though. These additions slightly modify their sound, but do not represent a major change. By and large, The Illusion of Progress should satisfy their fans expectations. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this album enter the charts at a fourth #1 position.

quote:

Originally posted by can't_believe:
Staind kicks off The Illusion of Progress with arguably the album’s strongest track, “This is it.”

quote:

Originally posted by can't_believe:
His electric guitar is much less obvious than “This Is It,” which could be said for the duration of the album.

I guess both of these really hint towards a softer, mellower album. Kind of bummmed "This Is It" is maybe the heaviest song.

quote:

Originally posted by can't_believe:
I wouldn’t be surprised to see this album enter the charts at a fourth #1 position.

Love to see that! And I love all the Pink Floyd talk

I was told that Rainy Day Parade is supposed to be pretty heavy to.

^it says that in this article too

Gracias Senior H!

quote:

Originally posted by hbp0819:
I guess both of these really hint towards a softer, mellower album. Kind of bummmed "This Is It" is maybe the heaviest song.

im actually not surprised at all. To be honest Staind hasnt "suprised" me since 14shades...and to put it bluntly, i wasnt a 'good' sort of suprise to me either. What would suprise me though is if mike and the band would actually followed through with what they tell the fans to expect. I expected more with chapter V before i heard the samples/album, and it didnt deliver to my expectations. What ive heard so far (2 studio songs/2 live), doesnt suprise me at all. Is it going to be the best staind album?? of course not. is it going to be a good album?? sure..most of what staind puts out is quality music. Is it going to be another chart topping money-making machine?? of course it is...

quote:

Originally posted by summerslost999:
Is it going to be the best staind album?? of course not.

to each his own

quote:

Originally posted by summerslost999:

quote:

Originally posted by hbp0819:
I guess both of these really hint towards a softer, mellower album. Kind of bummmed "This Is It" is maybe the heaviest song.

im actually not surprised at all. To be honest Staind hasnt "suprised" me since 14shades...and to put it bluntly, i wasnt a 'good' sort of suprise to me either. What would suprise me though is if mike and the band would actually followed through with what they tell the fans to expect. I expected more with chapter V before i heard the samples/album, and it didnt deliver to my expectations. What ive heard so far (2 studio songs/2 live), doesnt suprise me at all. Is it going to be the best staind album?? of course not. is it going to be a good album?? sure..most of what staind puts out is quality music. Is it going to be another chart topping money-making machine?? of course it is...

Exactly. When 14 Shades came out, I was beating down doors defending the album on the old board. (In fact, I may have named Chapter V) But 3 is a trend. It's clear that the hard-driving, ass-kicking days are over. Not that they're bad albums. Even Believe is growing on me now. Its just dissapointing that they said they would make the hardest album yet.

you may have named chapter V^ wtf are you talking about

it'll be disappoiting if "this is it" is the hardest song from TIOP...

<deep breath> So it goes like this.....

When I was on the old board after 14 Shades came out, I was defending it against a rash of shit about how they went soft, album sucks, etc.... It was hectic back then. So I got into this long diatribe about how each album was part of the "Story of Staind". Tormented was pure dispair. Dysfunction was anger. -Struggling to "Break the Cycle". And 14 Shades was dealing with everything and picking up the pieces. I cited "Let it Out" I think. (This is the super abbreviated version.)
So nonetheless, I went on to say that I'm sure the Fifth Chapter in the story of Staind will be new and different because all of the past issues were dealt with and they would probably get back to rocking more....

I'm sure that people read that board. Especially because it was right after the release of 14 Shades. I was pretty suspicous when I heard the name of it. Thats the basic story. You can call me whatever but believe its quite possible. If anyone knows if the board is archived anywhere I'd love to go find the thread.

Wah!Wah!

i dont think it was part of their 'plan' or 'story' at all to start going soft(er). In my personal oppinion (and im probably going to get flamed by the firey hell of this board =]) i think the money and success OR the business itself got the best of them and they decided to keep going in that direction. Since the hits on BTC did so extremely well, im sure they thought "hey this is getting us some good sales and more people are listening...lets keep it going" and so of course 14shades was released. And then we got the usual hype from mike saying that this next album was going to be killer and heavy and even "brutal". Well i figure 'hey..we have 2 heavy albums, 1 in the middle, and 1 that was rediculously un-staind.' so i expected this next one to live up to what mike said...which it didnt exactly do...and what kills me more is that we get the same hype from mike telling us what to expect from the album when it drops, and then getting 'heaviest album yet'...yet we dont come close. Of course seeing how the industry is functioning nowadays, i wouldnt expect much when hearing a very commercial band saying that they were working on 'brutal' music.



* no im not a hater...to me its not about having "heavy" music, i would just love if a bands sound didnt evolve so much that its almost unrecognizably un-staind. I dont exactly blame the band...just the business that theyre involved in

...Again there is always pressure for commercial success...this is their job after all...But, I don't believe for one minute that they would devote a whole album to something commercial if they weren't into what they were writing/playing...It sounds like they had the greenlight for a hard album...It just didn't turn out that way...Boo freaking hoo!

The guy who runs tunelabmusic.com has heard the album and said this: "I’ve listened to the whole album, and I must say it was quite boring. Chris agrees with me too. It just all sounds the same, and the same as ‘Chapter V’ stuff."

So I guess we should expecting the album to sound like Chapter V according to Jay from tunelab

...Again..."the opposite" of above me!

quote:

Originally posted by salastna:
The guy who runs tunelabmusic.com has heard the album and said this: "I’ve listened to the whole album, and I must say it was quite boring. Chris agrees with me too. It just all sounds the same, and the same as ‘Chapter V’ stuff."

So I guess we should expecting the album to sound like Chapter V according to Jay from tunelab

what do you expect? its what ive expected with what ive heard so far. Im still looking forward to it...


let me ask you this archangel...when someone tells you theyre going to do something...and it turns out they do just the opposite, do you just ignore it??? its called keeping your word, and whether or not you agree with it, whats to keep people devoted to them if they cant keep their word to their own fans?

I'm not crying...just making an honest complaint =P

When someone who is not accountable to me tells me that they're going to do something...and they don't...I consider the possible reasons and if they intentionally "slighted" me in any way...

I was expecting it too.

i just think they arent going to gain any "new" fans with a record that really doesnt show major progress for them. while i will still like and listen, they arent going to get the respect nationally from other nonfans who will continue to bash like rollingstone mag (who never give staind albums good reviews). i just think if it sounds like chapter v, it makes the the title of the album ironically true which is kind of sad. i really hope the guitar work is better than the single believe. i am though interested in the bluesy sound tho i hope that turned out well.