Ronesh Rampersad

A strong statement by Staind after a very long hiatus. The album is very diverse, with each track standing on its own. Been listening to Staind since 2000 when I was 18 years old, and this is certainly what the fans have been waiting for. Confessions isn't as heavy as Staind (2011), but the band has matured, Aaron's vocals sound better now than in his younger years and the music contains electronic elements which succeed in modernising the album for the younger listeners. One of my favourite tracks is "The Fray", which I think is the most old school track on the album. "Cycle of Hurting" is arguably the best track on the album, both musically and lyrically. Luckily, none of the songs are politically based (think his country music is the outlet for that). Personally, I thought the 10-track listing was a bit short, but one can only hope that the next album is not another decade away.