Through the Eyes

Background and recording

A lot of the music on Through the Eyes is about the childhood of Flaw vocalist Chris Volz, who had a difficult childhood. When Volz was 11 or 12 years old, his adoptive mother committed suicide. He began to embrace aggressive rock music and go against authority figures including his teachers and his father Joe. Joe sent Volz to military school, which Volz ran away from. Joe then sent him to various juvenile detention centers and when Volz was 14, a long-term drug rehab center. Volz ran away from rehab and then was picked up by police and subsequently put in a juvenile detention center. The court decided he wasn't a candidate for rehab and Joe was told by the police to take his son back. This made Joe embittered with his son. After his childhood, Volz started getting along with Joe. At Volz's wedding, Joe was the best man.

Flaw formed in 1996 when guitarist Jason Daunt placed an advertisement for a guitarist and Volz answered. Flaw recorded their first independent record American Arrogance. In 2000, Flaw showcased at CBGB in New York City, which is where they got noticed by Republic/Universal Records, leading to a record deal with the record labels. With producer David Bottrill, Flaw recorded at Sound City in Los Angeles in early 2001.

Music and lyrics

Described as nu metal, Through the Eyes features both clean singing and screaming. The album also features aggressive guitar riffs and melodic instrumentation. Songs such as "Get Up Again" and "Reliance" focus primarily on an aggressive sound while songs such as "My Letter" and "Best I Am" are softer songs. The album has been compared to bands such as Disturbed and Tool.

Through the Eyes' lyrics are about Flaw vocalist Chris Volz's life, including his childhood. The song "Whole" is about the suicide of Volz's adoptive mother. Volz spoke about the song "Whole" and his adoptive mother, saying "Everything in that song touches from sadness to anger to grief to blaming myself to confusion," Volz said. "I just really wanted to go as deep into it as I possibly could and still be able to come back. She was the one who got me into music. She was an operatic singer, and for me to go wholly into music has kept a part of her alive inside of me".

According to Jon Wiederhorn of MTV, songs on Through the Eyes such as "Inner Strength", "Get Up Again" and "Reliance" are about trauma and frustration. According to Wiederhorn, "if art could accurately imitate life's many nuances, Flaw's Through the Eyes would be one of the most powerful, traumatizing nü-metal records ever". Volz spoke about the meaning of "Get Up Again", saying, "It's about never letting one thing or one circumstance get the best of you and try to turn a negative around into something positive. So, whether it was because I was adopted or my mom's suicide when I was younger or having to take my dad to court so I could take charge of my life, that song kinda stands for dealing with life's problems and never feeling sorry for yourself and actually coming out on top". According to Volz, "Inner Strength" is about "finding your own road and really developing that 'inner strength' part of your personality". Volz said that "Only the Strong" is "really about realizing you have the power to feel about yourself the way you want and everyone else can fuck off". Volz continued, saying: "There are so many people that will try to bring you down, so instead of listening to what those people have to say, besides from family, friends, and loved ones. Just knowing that you are strong and that will help everyone survive".

Promotion and release

Through the Eyes was released by Universal/Uptown/Republic Records on October 30, 2001. Two songs on Through the Eyes have music videos; the song "Payback" has a music video and the song "Whole" has a music video. The music video for "Payback" came out in the summer of 2001. Through the Eyes peaked at number 119 on the Billboard 200 and number 1 on the Top Heatseekers chart. For multiple weeks, Through the Eyes sold 7,000 copies a week. Through the Eyes sold at least 150,000 copies. Through the Eyes' song "Only the Strong" appears on the soundtrack for the film The Scorpion King. The soundtrack for The Scorpion King sold 90,000 copies in its first week of being released. The soundtrack for The Scorpion King originally peaked at number 8 on the Billboard 200, however, the soundtrack moved up to number 5 on the Billboard 200.

Critical reception

Through the Eyes received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics. According to Mark Jenkins the Washington Post, "like Sevendust, Flaw is apparently still smarting from childhood trauma". The Washington Post also wrote that ultimately, "Flaw lets its guard down". The PRP gave Through the Eyes a 3.5 out of 5 and wrote that the album "is a strong showing from a band who have a lot to offer". The PRP praised the album's musicianship and wrote that the only "flaw" is that Flaw "could benefit from trimming some of the proverbial fat a bit closer to the bone next time out, because in their current state, they at times can feel a bit too long winded and unnecessary". AntiGUY of AntiMUSIC gave Through the Eyes four smiley faces and wrote that the album "is the perfect counter argument to those who would casually dismiss the nu metal genre as only simplistic drop tuned guitars pounding out unremitting powerchords and primal screaming vocals". AntiGUY praised the vocals of Chris Volz and compared Flaw to Factory 81 and A Perfect Circle. According to Brian O'Neill of AllMusic's review of Through the Eyes, "a few catchy tracks -- such as the lead single, "Payback," and the eerie "My Letter" -- are surrounded by filler that fails to stick". O'Neill did, however, praise the clean singing of Chris Volz, calling his clean singing "powerful and melodious". According to Andy Schwegler, Through the Eyes "is perfect if you want 13 tracks of jamming for your car, but it ultimately runs thin in the long run".

Album cover

The album cover shows a 12-year-old little boy with a zippered-shut mouth who does not look like he's in pain, but looks like he has a lot of things to say. Flaw's lead vocalist Chris Volz says that is how he felt throughout most of his childhood.