Anyone claiming not to be surprised when Papa Roach failed to suck on Getting Away With Murder was either a goddamned liar or a goddamned fool. The band screamed "one-hit wonder" with the breakthrough success of "Last Resort" from Infest, in the thick of the rap-metal craze, and they more or less seemed to seal that fate with the lackluster follow-up Lovehatetragedy. But suddenly, the band released a slick, relevant hard-rock CD that hinted at serious staying power. The bad news is that the little-hyped followup, The Paramour Sessions, is a small regression from that excellent disc. But the good news is it's still the band's next-best release to date, offering plenty of value for fans looking for good hard rock in today's market.

The disc starts off shaky with its lead single, "...To Be Loved," which opens with a cheesy rap interlude that's likely to leave the listener wondering if the band regressed all the way to 2000. The track wobbles back on course with a more standard hard rock approach to its hooky choruses, but it's still a tune of little consequence, something sing-a-longable to get the disc rolling.

Thankfully, the wobbly start gives way to more comfortable territory for the band, as "Alive ('n' Out of Control)" and "Crash" are based on more standard hard-rock energy, replete with some excellent melodic hooks. It'd be near-impossible not to admit singing along with the chorus of "Crash" as vocalist Jacoby Shaddix wails "It's time for annihilation / Time to be a criminal / No time for hesitation / Time to be an animal!" The CD's most all-out rocker is a capable one, "I Devise My Own Demise," devoid of any major screaming but replete with rapid-fire instrumental energy and some sturdy wails from Shaddix, and landing right in the middle of the album to give the flow a boost.

The band treads into more calm melodic material than might be expected as well, with mixed results. Shaddix adds a sultry baritone to his vocal repertoire, and it works sharply in his favor on the gorgeous "My Heart Is A Fist," which follows a measured path from moody verses to airy choruses, with a hushed, piano-driven closing that hits a sharp mood. The closer "Roses On My Grave" is similarly slick, with a slow buildup and a dark yet loving lyrical tone that captures the listener quite effectively.

Unfortunately, the band drops a few serious duds as they try out their new tricks, too. Near the beginning of the album lie the twin bombs of "The World Around You" and "Forever," which are lyrically bipolar (the former is post-breakup and the latter is lovey-dovey), and equally dull and predictable in both lyrics and music. These two tracks, along with similar counterparts "What Do You Do?" and "Reckless," are tunes that will end up being skipped more often than not for most listeners.

Papa Roach unquestionably took a small step down in quality with The Paramour Sessions, when compared with their strong previous disc. But they've still produced the second-best release of their career, with plenty of tracks that will have ample replay value for hard-rock lovers of all stripes. A flawless disc this is certainly not, but it's nonetheless a worthy addition to most collections focused in the hard-rock/metal genre.


Papa Roach Discography

Infest (2000)
Lovehatetragedy (2002)
Getting Away With Murder (2004)
The Paramour Sessions (2006)

Recommended: Yes