Staind - Break the Cycle [Clean Version]

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Free Music Notes for Break the Cycle [Clean Version]

Free Music Review: Brilliant and emotional, tops both previous albums
Hit: 5 Stars

The advantage of this album over "Dysfunction" seems to be that the emotion is more bridled than before, with less screaming and distortion on the vocals, and with clearer instrumental recording. Songs like "Raw" and "Suffocate" off of "Dysfunction" aren't as present on here, this album keeping more in control, but even more so emotional, than before. But don't fear, Staind still rocks and gets loud and powerful on "Open Your Eyes" (one of the best songs on here), "Can't Believe", and "Pressure".

"Outside", "It's Been Awhile", and "Fade" aren't quite as distorted as the other songs and shows a side to Staind that isn't reflecting much. The theme of all the songs really comes out in literally every song. You see the state of society in a new light after hearing "Open Your Eyes" and "Can't Believe". And you feel all of Aaron's pain, anger, and confusion in dealing with a fan of the group who committed suicide, which the song "Waste" is about. Other great songs are "Take It", "For You" and "Pressure", although literally every song on the album is brilliant.

The instrumental use on this album seems to have truly matured as well, possibly contributing to the fact that Aaron picks up the acoustic guitar on several songs, especially the live version of "It's Been Awhile", which is only included on select releases of the album. The rest of the band has grown and expanded their boundaries musically on the album, especially the use of the more complicated/sophisticated guitar playing.

This version of the album, however, is edited for content. Although Staind is not one of the many ... bands that thrive on explicit lyrics, the expletives on this album do add emotion and get the message across ("Waste" is a great example). You'll just have to decide how important that is to you, but in my best opinion, go for the explicit version to get the full feel.

Other than that, one listen should get you hooked. This is brilliant, a modern work of musical art, and further evidence that this group is going to go all the way. A must-have.

Break the Cycle [Clean Version] Poster

Lewis has almost three decades of personal material to mine, and as familiar as his issues are, Break the Cycle still feels like a new, honest look into difficulties that can hit people across the board. "Waste," a song written to a fan who committed suicide, is particularly poignant as it grabbles with Lewis's empathy and anger for a boy he's never met. "Outside" is another album standout. It's a slower, partially acoustic number that builds on its own emotion. The songs on Break the Cycle are drenched in melancholy melodies and slow, heavy riffs typical of the sensitive side of the alt-rock genre. Lewis sometimes breaks out into either a hearty yell or a throaty gurgle that sounds like the devil vomiting ("Can't Believe"), but the best songs keep his passion a little more controlled. You've probably heard rock like Break the Cycle piping from mainstream radio stations already, but Lewis's ability to turn his breakdowns into his art should capture a new round of fans happy to find kindred spirits in the band. --Jennifer Maerz

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