PAPA ROACH: "The Connection"

Rating: RR
Label: EMI Music 2012
Review by: Martien Koolen

The new album of the Californian nu metal band Papa Roach is not exactly an album that will end up in my top 10 list of 2012. Why, you will ask, well that is mainly due to the fact that this album is too commercial and most of the 13 songs sound rather alike and remind me of bands like Nickelback, Offspring and Staind. Furthermore I am not eactly a fun of rap vocals and on the Connection Papa Roach tends to use this kind of vocals more and more. Just listen to Won't Let Up and you will catch my drift, I hope. This sixth studio album is filled with power ballads, like: Before I Die, Wish You Never Met Me, Leader Of The Broken Hearts and As Fas As I Remember, and they are probably ideal for the audience to sing (read: scream) along to during their live gigs, but I find they rather boring and too predictable.

Luckily there are also a couple of good hard rock songs on this album. Like e.g. the single Still Swingin' which is a heavy track with great raw vocals, or Silence Is The Enemy, which is again extremely catchy. So many nu metal bands have come and gone but Papa Roach is still going strong and altough this album is a bit disappointing, maybe their next one will be far better; or should I say more to my taste.....Check it out for yourself if you still like their songs and start with Still Swingin' at maximum volume!