Staind - The Illusion of Progress CD Review

There's a reason why Staind stands alone with Disturbed as the only modern rock acts that have had four consecutive #1 album debuts. Every time a new CD comes out, it sends chills down your spine. The latest Staind release, titled "The Illusion of Progress" is a departure from Staind's normal table fare of angry, adrenaline-fueled modern rock. When bands switch sounds, most of the time, the results are disastrous for the band's core fanbase (think Linkin Park's CD Minutes to Midnight). This time around, with Staind, the results are pure magic. First things first, you can automatically tell this isn't your ordinary Staind album...the album cover is totally devoid of Staind's trademark band logo, which has been on the cover of their last three albums. The overall feel of this album is one of maturity. The album title is
appropriate, as Staind has really grown and matured musically with their new album. It fits perfectly with Staind's core fanbase, which back in the late 90's and early 2000's, was generally angry young people in their late teens-early 20's. Here in 2008, as the fanbase grows up and matures, so does Staind's music. As a 21 year old myself, the progression from "Tormented" to "The Illusion of Progress" seems to parallel greatly in sentiment and maturity.
Staind calls The Illusion of Progress their most musical CD to date, and that certainly is the case.

The album opener, This Is It, is the hardest tune on the entire album, and sounds more like vintage Staind than any other track here. Definitely a throwback to harder tunes, this is a great song choice for the opener. "This is it, and it fits, and it feels like this is good enough for me, could it be, that the grass is always green," thunders the chorus. A song about feeling satisfied knowing that it never gets any better is one of the best tunes on album.

The Way I Am, a song that starts with a thudding bass guitar, develops into a song that is more reminiscent of a Chevelle tune, especially during the first minute of the song. "You will never change the way I am" sings Aaron Lewis, in a song basically telling someone to quit trying to change him, that the way he is will always be the way he is.

The third tune and lead single, Believe, is one of the least inspiring moments on the CD. Sounding very much like Right Here musically, the lyrics however are the meat of the whole song. "Believe in me, this life's not always what it seems, believe in me, cuz I was made for chasing dreams" is a very emotional plea to gain someone's trust. A sure hit on mainstream rock, one cannot escape the feeling that the song was made specifically for radio airplay.

Save Me, another very un-Staind-sounding opening, is a plea for salvation from the world. "Save me, just hold out your hand, you save me from all of it," is another mature song. "Save me for the f*** of it" conveys a feeling of despair. A great tune, Save Me is another example of great songwriting and musicianship.

The next song, All I Want, is what every nervous guy is always too scared to say to his girl that he wants so badly. An awesome tune, All I Want even sees the entire band get in on the vocal act, as during the bridge of the song the entire band sings the "is you" part of the lyrics. This is the type of song that a guy would dedicate to his girlfriend when he himself is too nervous to do it himself.

During the first part of the following song, "Pardon Me" sounds like a throwback to the ballads of the 80's. Sounding more "Staind-ish" during the chorus, the song is not as fulfilling as the other tunes on the CD.

The tune that is Lost Along The Way, could be considered a ballad itself, as it starts slow then picks up tempo slightly during the chorus. Another good song, Lost Along The Way and Pardon Me could be considered the weaker part of the CD.

However, the next song, Break Away, tears away the veil of the last two songs with a resounding chorus and very cool sound effect opening. A prime example of the band maturing, this song is a must-hear for any Staind fan. Featuring one of the harder pieces of music in the album, the song is pure gold to the ears.

The song Tangled Up In You is a purely unadulterated love song. By far the slowest and softest song on the CD, this song features an instrument never before heard on a Staind album...a steel guitar. Sounding more at home on a country radio station, Tangled Up In You is a very mature song that would appeal to a majority of music listeners.

The following songs, in my opinion the best material on the album, just make you want to flick a lighter and hold it high above your head. Both songs, appropriate for a cloudy day, both have similiar lyrical content. Raining Again is the best song on the album, a mid-tempo song that sends the chills mentioned at the beginning of this review running rampant through your spine. A song that must be heard time and time again to be fully appreciated, it features the best guitar shredding that Mike Mushok does on the album. Staind in its purest form, Raining Again will stand as one of the defining moments on the CD.

Following the rain theme, the next tune, Rainy Day Parade, features one of the best opening guitar riffs of the CD. A song dealing with the deceitfulness of the world, it conveys what I think alot of people in America and around the world feel about the current state of affairs. One of the most mature pieces ever written lyrically by Staind, it stands out from the crowd.

The 11th tune, The Corner, again brings in the steel guitar sound to compliment the overall bluesy feel of the song. Even featuring a choir vocal background, this song is the farthest from the normal sound that Staind has ever done. Strictly either a love it/hate it song, I'm still on the fence concerning this song.

The album closer, Nothing Left To Say, is another soft tune that is in line with the rest of the CD. A great choice for the closing song, it features the guitar sound of 3 Doors Down's softer songs and makes it sound great.

Whether or not this album will be well received by Staind fans has yet to be seen, but personally its an album that hits close to home for me. Parallels in maturity and growing up, this album will be one that I will always listen to for years to come.

Overall rating: 5 out of 5 stars.