Customer Reviews: Read 60 more reviews...
 No title for me, please. August 19, 2008
Pistachio Disguisey (Lewisville, TX)
15 out of 23 found this review helpful
Well, that's probably not the best way to title a review.
Staind changes musical direction (again!), going for what I call "Medium Heavy Melody". Gone are the pop-like (hyperbole here, folks) beats of their prior two albums, replaced with a Breaking Benjamin sound alike contest between Aaron Lewis and his band. In the end, I'd say Aaron won, as he's competently mirroring BB's vocal tenor; i.e., fake crescendo.
I'm afraid, my friends, that the Staind that gave us "Dysfunction" and "Break the Cycle" are dead and gone; instead, we've got the current incarnation, writing music for teens to hold each other and feel sorry for themselves too. I guess young folks don't like LOUD these days.
Don't get me wrong, the album isn't bad. I've listened to it a few times and sort of enjoy most of it. "This Is It" is a great way to start the album, subdued but not sappy, and original enough to have given me hope that the rest of the album was going somewhere (I bought "The Illusion of Progress" on that one song's merit, in fact). Well, turns out that the album title was much more literal than I'd anticipated. The rest of the tracks meander from one pleasant Heavy Medium Melody to the next, rarely taking a breath to change pace or reevaluate direction.
So should you buy it? Mmmmm, depends on what you like. If you only liked Staind's first two albums and are waiting for them to return to form, then I'd say definitely not; you'll just get mad at yourself for believing that's even feasible after 8 years. On the other hand, if you prefer their later work, then I'd say probably. It might even be an bonus that two of the songs on "Illusion" have the word `rain' in their title!
Well structured overall, Staind delivers a neat, clean product of likable (though boring and mundane) radio-friendly rock songs. Take your chances; at the very least it won't make you gag.
Definitely the "Illusion" of Progress August 20, 2008
Damien Schwader (Ft. Collins, CO United States)
13 out of 16 found this review helpful
I will keep this simple. If you liked 14 Shades of Gray, half of Break the Cycle or most of Chapter 5 then you will like this. It's as simple as that. Staind has done nothing to progress or grow as a band since Dysfunction. They have continually churned out the same saccharin, existential, middle of the road music, and people like myself keep buying it. Some are hoping for them to deliver something hard like Dysfunction again, while others like spending money on the same album over and over again.
Sadly, people will rate this 5 stars and all I can say about that is that this is absolutely not a 5 star album. It's not even a 4. 5 should typically be reserved for a masterpiece. 4 should be a solid release. At best, this album is a 3. There are no ifs, ands or buts about it. Some pretty good tracks, some so-so tracks and the rest is fodder. There are no outstanding tracks. There aren't even any great tracks. Pardon Me is closest the band comes to a great track, and it might bore some people anyway. Rainy Day Parade will be touted as the "hard track" that harkens back to the old days, but it's really just guitar set up with distortion. In the scheme of things, it's actually a pretty corny and boring record.
Of course it's impossible for me to truly say what you will really like or not like on this album. This review is coming from someone that keeps holding his breath for a good follow-up to Dysfunction. Break the Cycle had great moments often. 14 Shades had maybe 3 good tracks, but the rest were boring and lacking of any passion or artistry. Chapter 5 was kind of cheesy, but I ended up liking half the tracks in spite of the that.
Sadly, Staind sounds almost the same as they did 7 years ago, and they've done 4 albums in that time. They have literally become another Nickelback, and it frustrates me to see such a waste of potential. Hmm, maybe that should be the name of the next record? Either way, consider this fan disappointed again. I will listen to the album a few more times and then it will rot on my shelf. I am pretty sure that it will be the same for a majority of you.
Unfortunately I have so much confidence in the band; I will anxiously await the next release in 2010.
 Not Bad August 19, 2008
Glenn Giznad (SC)
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
This CD will remind you a lot of 14 Shades...not as good as Break, but not as bad as V. They stick to the same formula of starting the songs off slowly and building up to crashing choruses. The two pop-ballads Believe In Me and All I Want will probably be radio staples before it is all said and done. Nothing really new here, but still a solid Staind cd.
 Analize Free review, band keeps evolving August 21, 2008
Michael A. Cunha (Riverside, RI United States)
5 out of 8 found this review helpful
Everyone, STOP ANALIZING EVERY DAMN THING BANDS DO AND JUST LISTEN TO IT
every bands gotta change there sound, you know, mix it up a little, ie, LINKIN PARK, very different album( Mins to Midnight)but still good !,Every damn time a band puts more thought and feeling and less screaming, all there so called fans, jump ship, Whatever ! PUT A SOCK IN IT !! Buy Disturbed albums, Excedrin sold seperatly.
 Goodbye Staind August 20, 2008
D. Wobig
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
There are no words to explain how saddened I am that Staind's music has come to this... If you are a fan of their older stuff (Tormented, Dysfunction, Break the Cycle) Do not pick this up... you will lose your faith in them very fast. I hope they hit record low sales for this album and take it as a wake up call... Go back in the studio and create something that long time Staind fans can relate to. I suppose if they want to tour with Hinder and Nickelback that's fine... I for one will not be listening....
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![The Illusion Of Progress [Explicit]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51eDIWvC34L._SL500_.jpg)
