Most critics and
pop
music trainspotters didn't give
Creed
's 1997 debut
My Own Prison
much credit upon its release, even though it wound up going multi-platinum. At the time, they seemed like one of many heavy
post-grunge
guitar outfits -- especially to the disinterested observers who tend to name genres and classify bands. So, when the group unleashed their second album,
Human Clay
, in 1999, the industry, critics, and record collectors alike were stunned, positively stunned, when it entered the charts at number one, then stayed in the upper reaches of the charts for months on end. Nobody could figure out why this group managed to not just survive, but thrive when such fellow travelers as
Our Lady Peace
fell by the wayside. After all, at the time, not only were
bands dying, but so were such grunge heavyweights as
Pearl Jam
and
Soundgarden
's
Chris Cornell
. Listening to
doesn't really reveal any insights, either, since it is
hard rock
rooted firmly in the Seattle vein, complete with really big riffs and intensely introspective lyrics. Then, a realization sets in: Unlike their influences -- from
Alice in Chains
to
Stone Temple Pilots
--
is happy to be a
rock
band. Their music may not be particularly joyous and they may even favor foreboding, heavy riffs, but they're not trying to stretch into political causes or worldbeat like
; they're not reveling in dark psychedelia like
; nor are they attempting a glam
Abbey Road
like
.
is a straightforward
grunge
band, embracing everything that goes along with that, and doing it pretty well. They might not have as strong an identity as their forefathers, but they're not faceless, especially in the late '90s, an era when most popular
is either
rap-rock
,
industrial
-tinged, or plain out thuggish (at times, of course, it's all three).
has more class than that and they write relatively solid riffs and hooks. It may not be the kind of thing that knocks out critics or grunge purists, but it does deliver for anyone looking for direct,
-flavored
. Within that realm, the band does mix things up a bit -- it's not all mid-tempo sludge, for there are also
ballads
and some high-octane, up-tempo
rockers
-- and that makes
a stronger, better-paced record than its predecessor, which wasn't bad either. It's hard to tell on the basis of these two records if
has staying power. However,
does make it clear that there is an audience for
, as long as it's delivered without pretension and as long as it meets the audience's desire for straight-ahead, hard-hitting music. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine