Rating:  -
"Break the Cycle" was the first Staind CD I ever bought. And I'm glad that I own it. It's a very powerful album: while not as powerful as Dysfunction, it does have the same meaningful lyrics found in the last album. This is where Staind was at its peak. The five singles (Outside, Fade, It's Been Awhile, For You, & Epiphany) deserve to be heard all across the globe. The other songs are very good, too. "Open Your Eyes" and "Waste" can't be missed. "Suffer," "Pressure," and "Changes" bring about what makes Staind a brilliant rock band. "Can't Believe" is nothing but screaming, but I still like it. Overall, it's an excellent album that I grew up on.
Grade: A
Rating: -
Staind are one of the finest bands... well, of all-time! "Break The Cycle" has to be one of the best albums I've ever heard, almost on-par with "St. Anger"! The impressive drum fills, face-melting riffs, crazy bass and superb vocals make this album a classic! "It's Been Awhile" is, without a doubt, a timeless song that will NEVER get old.
Rating:  -
When Staind dropped `Mudshuvel' they immediately built a fan base, but it wasn't until the solemn `Outside' hit airways that they became a household name. Now, it doesn't matter really who you are, you've heard of Staind in one way shape or form. Their songs litter the radio waves; they appear on countless magazine covers and back up plenty of soundtracks and film trailers. Staind has become an international hit, thanks to `Break the Cycle'.
That said, this may be my least favorite album they have released.
When I say this, I don't mean it in an extremely negative way, because truth be told, Staind is my favorite band out there today and everything they put out I listen to and adore in its own respect, but the one thing that put me off from `Break the Cycle' was the fact that it seemed (at least to me) that the band was trying way too hard here. Even if collectively the album is better than `14 Shades of Grey' I tend to prefer the latter only because it seems to come a little more natural to the band. On `Break the Cycle' Staind was trying to find themselves, that balance between the brutality of `Dysfunction' and the melodiousness of their latest effort `The Illusion of Progress'. What happened, as a result, is an album that feels strangely uneven.
So, lets start with the good. `Outside' sounds completely natural and pristine on all levels. This is the band that Staind was always meant to be. Don't get me wrong, I love the raw intensity they brought to `Dysfunction', but the truth of the matter is that this band was never meant to be savage, and the effortless way they sink into the groove of `Outside' is major proof of that. Same can be said for the massive hit `It's Been Awhile'. The song is beautifully constructed and highlights the bands massive talent. It is vocally brilliant and musically impressive. Following in this same line of melodic passion is `Epiphany', which may be the most beautiful song this band has ever penned. Aaron Lewis and an acoustic guitar; you can't get any better than that.
The there are some tracks that are decent, yet not superb.
The album opens up with `Open You Eyes', which is much more commercial than anything off of `Dysfunction' but it sounds as if it fits well. It seems a little too simple to me, but it is not a bad track by any means. `For You' was a huge hit for the band, and I can see why, but upon multiple listens it becomes more and more obvious how clichéd this track really is. This is not a song to become rooted it. Yes, it is a good song and it is easy to grab hold of (it is the heaviest song that sounds right on the album, since the other `heavy' tracks sound forced and unnatural, and this does not) but this is not a `great' song. `Fade' and `Change' possess (possibly) the best vocal work on the album. The way Lewis allows his voice to caress each and every word can illicit chills, but the fact remains that the tracks themselves don't really hold up over time. The verses are superb, but the generic commercial way they crafted the chorus lines is a major drawback.
Then there are the songs that fall somewhere in the middle.
`Safe Place' is a song that I really want to like, one that has a lot of potential, but the downplayed vocals take away from the power this song could have had. Aaron has one of the greatest voices in the world of rock and roll, yet he doesn't capitalize on them here. He always appears to be holding himself back. `Pressure' tries far too hard to be the band Staind was in the beginning, and the end result is less that it could have been. I abhor the chorus; I like the verses; I love the bridge...in the end I'm indifferent. The concept behind `Waste' is great, but like `Safe Place' Lewis continues to sound restrained, and restraint is not something this song should have possessed. If he had just let go a little more the song could have really been a highlight of the album.
And then there are the downright bad tracks.
`Suffer' just doesn't work on any level. Aaron's heavy breathing is annoying and out of place and the chorus is so far removed from the track it borders ridiculous. As bad as `Suffer' is, `Can't Believe' is even worse. This song tries so hard to be heavy that it just comes off as a really bad garage band trying to be heavy. Aaron really needs to stay away from screaming. This is so odd to say, because his brutal vocals in `Dysfunction' were so appropriate and natural, yet here he sounds so out of his element.
The album closes with `Take It'. Now I was really excited when this song kicked into the first verse because it just felt so right. The guitar work, the bass lines, Aaron's vocals; it just all seemed to fit. That said; the chorus drags it down a bit. I won't say it ends on a bad note, but I can't say that it ends as well as I was hoping for. The chorus almost stops the brilliant progression they were establishing. Thankfully the bridge actually nails it. The whole album they were attempting to straddle the fence of heavy and melodic and finally they managed to get it right, to where it felt comfortable. I just wish the chorus would have done it for me, for then it would have possible been the best track on the album.
So, we all know I am a huge fan (like I said; favorite band) but I have to be honest and objective. Do I like this album? Yes. Do I own it and listen to it regularly? Yes. Do I consider it a fine testament to the band Staind has become? Not really. `Break the Cycle' is a transition piece for me. It contains a few really good songs and a slew of decent ones with potential, but the bands shaky legs can be seen on many of the tracks as they try to find themselves musically. I think that `Chapter IV' and `The Illusion of Progress' are more definitive of the band as a whole. `Break the Cycle' is the bridge to get from here to there.
Rating: -
This album kicks some serious a**. Aaron Lewis really pours it out. When I heard the song Waste, maaaan I was shocked. At about the 2:50 min mark he unleashes like a beast. His aggression drives me. Warm Safe Place is Aaron at his best as well. His lyrics make you really think, he has me rewinding like crazy. Not to mention he does it behind some insane guitar riffs and hectic drum lines. I think this is their best album and i truly recommend it.
Rating:  -
Staind's Break the Cycle really pushes the boundaries of metal in terms of power. Singer Aaron Lewis' lyrics are the foundation for this album. It's filled with pain, despair, and real problems without the annoying "f*** everything kill everyone satan blah blah" heavy metal stereotype. Staind's music is haunting, to say the least, but at the same time, delicate. The guitars and drums blend perfectly with each song. Then again, some of the music could be better. I loved the song "Waste", but the instrumentals didn't fit with the words. With topics ranging from broken friendships ("Fade") to teenage suicides ("Waste"), Staind dares to be real to its audience, and has done so for the past 11 years.
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