Staind - Dysfunction

Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst fell in love with Staind so hard that he coproduced their major-label debut. This fact should be endorsement enough for the Massachusetts-based quartet's target audience. Although not as heavy on hip-hop influences, singer Aaron Lewis's guttural, dragged-through-the-mud vocals dig into the meaty guitar wall and thrash around the speakers like Durst's band. Dysfunction's all-you-can-eat buffet of decibels grows a bit wearisome by the end of the album, but a couple of numbers stand up and demand to be noticed. "Just Go" boasts a classically sludgy Mudhoney-like groove before settling into an uncoiling murmur à la Judas Priest. The well-executed moshpit-ready "Mudshovel" gleefully cops from Alice in Chains' psychedelic leanings. Staind's hard-rock epistles are certain to gather the band a devoted following. --Jason Josephes Amazon.com

The 1999 alternative metal scene

If you've enjoyed Staind from any of their other releases and expect something similar in Dysfunction you'd be mistaken. It'd be an understatement to say "it's a little more gritty". However if you expect something good in relation to say korn or maybe even some of Drowning Pool's better stuff then you've hit alternative metal gold. This is their only album as far as I'm concerned. It's disappointing to see them go from this to immediately sounding like 3 Doors Down or Nickelback etc. etc.
Alot of reviewers seem to be ecstatic about the song Mudshovel, and while that song is excellent, the four tracks preceding it are of equal if not greater value. Give this one a chance if you're big into the 1999 metal scene. June 19, 2008

This album suffocates you with promise and potential...

A lot of fans hate what Staind has become but they can't deny that their debut album `Dysfunction' is virtually flawless. Short and sweet, the albums 9 tracks leave no room for filler and deliver track after track of pulse pounding, ear bleeding rock. From the opening `Suffocate' to the closing `Spleen' `Dysfunction' proves that this rock quartet as the goods to survive this rocky business.

There is a lot of edge here; starting with the opening track `Suffocate' which immediately grabs the listener's attention. It's heavy and straight forward and delivers the goods. `Raw' is another blunt force object that burrows itself in your eardrums. The slowed down verses help create an unsettling that all but erupts when Aaron starts screaming "raw" and the chorus ignites. Everyone, and I mean everyone, has heard the masterclass that is `Mudshovel', one of the greatest rock anthems ever. The musical arrangement is catchy and instantly recognizable (when that bass kicks in my stereo automatically goes up) and Aaron Lewis' vocals are impeccable.

`Just Go' is one of the best rock songs out there. It showcases perfectly what Staind would ultimately become, ditching the crushing guitars and pulsating drum lines for a more subtle and emotional musical experience. One thing that must be mentioned is that Aaron Lewis' voice is perfectly suited for this style of music and so it becomes elevated by the delicate flaws within his voice. `Me' is similar is style but not as emotional on impact. Next to `Home' it comes off the whineier of the tracks here. Neither is a bad track but neither are as strong as the balance.

The album ends with a string of very impressive tracks, `A Flat', `Crawl' and `Spleen' which showcase the strength in Staind's metal side. `A Flat' is my favorite of the three mainly for the brilliant closing with Aaron's overlapping "And I" and the crushing bridge. `Crawl', which can be heard on the `Scream 3' soundtrack, is also brilliantly constructed. `Spleen' closes the album on a strong note; the verses constructed to build anticipation before impact. The hidden track `Excess Baggage' is downright perfection. With Aaron Lewis alone with an acoustic guitar you have a beautiful and stirring song that reaches deeper than anything on the balance of the album. The man is genius.

There is a lot to love in this short album. All 9 tracks offer something, some more than others but none falling into that `filler' category of worthless of non-important. Staind may have changed their style in the years that followed this impressive studio debut but they have always stayed true to themselves and deserve recognition for that. They have yet to recapture the brilliance of `Dysfunction' but one day soon I expect them to. February 12, 2008

The Only Good Staind Album

I was dubious about Staind when they first came out. However, when I finally took the time to give this album a listen it really grew on me rather quickly. This is great music for when you are driving alone at night, or in a dark and brooding mood. The music is well produced and reasonably well written, and the few mistakes they make are easy to ignore or forgive. It is too bad that Staind completely lost all their edge (even when they were trying to be heavy) after this and never released another good album. September 29, 2007

Damn, almost eight years ago

I bought this back in my middle school day's and it blew me away, needless to say, lol. Then Aaron Lewis had to pick up an accoustic guitar and they pretty much went on to play more mainstream radio ballads which had me lose interest in this band. With this album they reminded me of Deftones but with a different edge, I dunno... sucks they started over looking this album, it was indeed their best. September 5, 2007

Great voice, average band, won't stand the test of time.

I was first introduced to Staind at a live show that featured Megadeth. I was there to see Megadeth, but I usually show up for the opening acts because you never know what you might see. I was impressed with their live show mostly because of Aaron Lewis. I thought his voice sounded amazing and some of the songs seemed like pretty decent headbanging material, at least at a live show.

In any case, I bought Dysfunction shorty after the show. I was fairly impressed with it. I was really drawn to Aaron Lewis' passion in every song. He really sings each song from deep within and gives each song so much life. My major problem with the album is that the songs musically are very generic. Lewis really carries all the weight and without him, this would be a very forgettable album and band. Nonetheless, the high points for me are Suffocate, Just Go, and Mudshovel.

As with any review, these are my opinions and many people will disagree with me, but that's what makes these reviews so much fun. Enjoy! May 24, 2007

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