"What the hell is this?" That was my first thought when I started playing this CD.
"Bullets," the first track, is very loud and crunchy. Lots of screaming and such... this does not sound like the Creed that I know and love. There seems to be no technique in the guitar, drums, or anything at all for that matter. The second track is called "Freedom Fighter." Again, like the first track, loud as hell and more crunchy than eating cockroaches... which is what I would rather be doing right now. Anything is better than listening to these first two tracks. What happened to these guys? "Who's Got My Back," track number three seems mellow enough, maybe this one will kick some ass. Hmm... a little mid-eastern sounding. This should be interesting. Ok, I really like this song. It has a great build up as do alot of Creed's semi-mellow songs. It's long though... jeez, but it's great. Well, so far one good track out of three.
The fourth track is called "Signs." This song reminds me of Alice in Chains, I like it. It's got a good beat and the guitar riffs are quasi-captivating. Not a very technical song, but definitely a keeper. "One Last Breath," is the next track. I love it! It's very close to "What's This Life For." Some orchestrations make this song extremely beautiful. This is the good ol' Creed that I have been looking for. If you haven't heard "My Sacrifice" yet, you are missing out. It's the next track and I have been listening to it for quite some time now and it's a great track. I can see why it would be the first release off of the album.
"Stand Here With Me" is the next song. Nice and technical and different sounding from most bands that I have heard lately. Songs like this really set Creed apart from everyone else. No other band on Earth can write songs the way that they do. I am starting to warm up to the album, I hope it has some good tracks to end it. "Weathered," the title track from the album is next. Another song that starts with a clean guitar sound. It sounds a little like something that you would hear on a cowboy movie. The guitar reminds me of that Bon Jovi song "Dead or Alive." It is real "blah" sounding, not one that would hold my attention. Track nine is "Hide." At first I thought that this song was going to bore me, but it's actually good. It's a new sound for Creed, but it works for them.
Next is "Don't Stop Dancing." Some more of the good ol' Creed sound. It's a slow groove. This is the type of song that I could listen to all day and never get tired of it. There's a woman singing in it... sounds like Alanis Morrissette, but I don't think it is. The last track is "Lullaby." It's beautiful, I mean what else could you expect from a song by that name. I think this is another song that was written for his child. I actually have chills all over my body. "With Arms Wide Open" does the same thing to me, I seriously love that song. "Lullaby" is no exception to the rule that Creed has excellent lyrics and beautiful guitar.
In conclusion, what started out to be an album that I would never even think of purchasing has now become one that I will be waiting at the store to grab on November 20, 2001. I would suggest that everyone go out and buy it. It's not exactly the same as "My Own Prison," nor is it a replica of "Human Clay." Creed has done some experimentation on this album and it works for them. Their vesatility is something that keeps people captivated, and I hope that they will keep astounding us for years to come.
