Here we go with the side projects. Seems that every band has "side projects", an outlet for these bands to play different music and really confuse their audience as to what their true identity is. Most of the time, these "side projects" are nothing more than watered down versions of the original and Stone Sour is no exception to the norm. This is the original band that Slipknot vocalist/screamer Corey Taylor and guitarist Jim Root started before Slipknot and have now reformed and revamped the band to make an impressive but watered down debut. Personally, I find Taylor to be a bit over the top and at times unlistenable, and that is due to the fact that Slipknot have taken extreme heavy metal and spun it out of control. Simply put, Slayer sounds like Sinatra compared to those guys, and Stone Sour has some serious Slipknot echos to their music, or is it Slipknot has some serious Stone Sour influence. This is where my argument begins....who is who? Stone Sour is a cool interesting band and I won't deny them the props they deserve for assembling a pretty heavy, yet accessible album filled with tortured vocals, heavy rhythms and thunderous production, but what I find missing is identity. I just don't see the difference between these guys and the hundreds of faceless 'nu-metal' acts gracing MTV or magazines of today. There are the obligitory whisper to a scream dynamics (can you say PLAYED
OUT) and the dirgy, de-tuned guitar playing that lacks all originality or audibility, but I will raise my hand and salute these guys for actually playing technically proficiant guitar leads and in key for that matter (will miracles ever cease!!). The songs are decent, but really don't catch the listener, even after 5 spins. Opening track 'Get Inside' sounds like a Slipknot throwaway, and the moody 'Orchids' has some decent moments but never ignites or captures the catchy sound these guys were going for. For the most part this is the story for every song on the disc, and though I can't say the songs are poor, becuase they are not, they just don't have that arena-anthem sound or hook needed to carry a project such as Stone Sour up to the level which they hoped to achieve. Recommended to Slipknot fans who want to hear Corey sing and to 'nu-metal' fans who want to hear guitarist who actually know how to play their instruments.
