Tormented (Staind album)

Background

In 1993, Staind vocalist Aaron Lewis and Staind guitarist Mike Mushok met at a Christmas party in the New England area. Mushok brought drummer Jon Wysocki into the fold and Lewis had a connection with a bass player, completing the early lineup. On November 24, 1995, Staind officially formed in Springfield, Massachusetts. Extensive touring in the Northeast helped Staind acquire a cult following.

Music and lyrics

The songs on Tormented are about topics such as pain, animosity, suicide and depression. Author Tommy Udo wrote "Tormented is one long rush of hardcore brat-rage, a 900mph scream of a man smashing his head against a wall with frustration". Described as alternative metal by AllMusic, Tormented is also somewhat of a concept album that tells the story of a depressed person who eventually commits suicide. This is hinted by someone saying the spoken-word line, "it's been like this forever... no more... I hate my fucking life," followed by the sound of a gun being cocked before the first song "Tolerate," as well as the line "there's nothing left for me" and then the sound of a gunshot immediately after the song "Four Walls", and before the hidden track "Funeral". The lyrics on Tormented are influenced by Staind member Aaron Lewis' life. Aaron Lewis spoke about it, saying: "My life, up to a point was shit," begins Lewis. "But I've come a long way. I grew up in a trailer park in Vermont. That was the shit I got out of me in Tormented and Dysfunction, and tailing into Break the Cycle. But the title, Break the Cycle, says it all." AllMusic described Tormented as "grittier and more raw than" Staind's "subsequent releases". Tormented has been compared to the heavy metal band Pantera. Tormented features singing and screaming. Despite being an intense heavy metal record, Staind's Tormented album features an acoustic song called "Four Walls". According to Songfacts, "Four Walls" is "about the everyday suffering of depressed drug addicted life". According to Songfacts, "Mudshuvel" "is about a relationship in which the significant other has hurt the victim in some way".

In 2008, Staind guitarist Mike Mushok noted his lack of appreciation for the album: "We have a lot of fans who say, 'I love Tormented.' I'm like, 'Have you ever listened to it? Because I can't.' But that's great – that's why they're fans." According to the Lollipop, "stylistically, Staind combine the memorable hooks of grunge with the pounding drums and roaring guitars of all that is heavy". Describing the vocals on Tormented, Lollipop wrote:

"Vocally, it may seem odd to say a band can have the passionate trembling of, ya know, those Seattle bands, yet have a desperate howl that is rather Kornesque. When singer Aaron Lewis isn't crooning, croaking, and moaning mournfully about how really shitty the world is and how much he doesn't like it, he's screaming like he just dropped the lit tip of his cigarette down his shirt and it's eating away flesh every second until he extinguishes it."

Release and critical reception

Self-released on November 29, 1996, Tormented only sold a few thousand copies, with 2,000 copies sold within a year. Tormented was originally only available in limited quantities in New England, United States, with the original release limited to 4,000 copies. Tormented was later re-released on CD in 2004. After the release of Tormented, Staind had a record-release party, which drew at least 900 people, with at least 200 of those people buying Tormented. Tormented was sold at live shows and small record stores. Later, the album was then sold on Staind's website.

In spite of the fact that Tormented got very little critical reception, the critical reception was positive, with critics criticizing the album's production, but praising its heaviness and aggression. AllMusic gave the album a very positive review, writing: "Despite some spotty production, this impressive debut unleashes a band whose amps are overloaded, and whose aim is deadly. The original version of “Mudshuvel” (which later appeared on DYSFUNCTION) is one of several highlights". AllMusic also wrote that Tormented "shows a band with its alternative metal heart in the right place." In 1997, Steven Woltasek of CMJ New Music Report wrote: "For those of you that don't know, wake up and look around for the debut release from Staind entitled Tormented ". In the book Brave Nu World, author Tommy Udo wrote: "To go back now and listen to Staind's 1996 debut, Tormented, back to back with Break The Cycle is like listening to another band". Scott Hefflon of the Lollipop wrote: "Staind are savvy, street-smart, and dammit, they rock. Their studio debut, tOrmenteD, shows either a natural knack for milking the most out of a crunchy guitar, or they had some good coaching". The Northeast Performer wrote: "Staind's musicianship is striking, and their live performance takes their recorded material one step further: pushing the envelope, ripping up the envelope, then jumping up and down all over the envelope til there ain’t a damn thing left".

Cover art

The album is known for its graphic and Satanic cover art. The cover depicts a bloody Barbie doll on a crucifix with nails hanging from a plastic frame, a buried person with a rosary protruding from the person's nose, and a knife impaling a Bible. This album cover appalled Limp Bizkit member Fred Durst so much that he attempted to remove Staind from a concert bill shortly before their performance. Fred Durst also thought that Staind were Theistic Satanists. Although he tried to remove Staind from a concert bill, Fred Durst allowed Staind to perform. After hearing Staind perform, Fred Durst was so impressed that he signed them to Flip Records by February 1998. Lewis said that the album cover "was twisted and demented and it totally did what it was supposed to do, which is shock the hell out of" Durst. Lewis then said nonetheless, Durst "didn't find it shocking in an amusing way. It definitely grabbed your attention. That was the point of it." Staind later thought that the album cover for Tormented was naïve. According to Mushok, Staind "had to move back the CD release party because four different places would not print the CD cover".

Post-Tormented

"Mudshuvel", renamed "Mudshovel", would be re-recorded and released as Staind's third single. It would become the band's breakout single and the most popular song from their 1999 album, Dysfunction, going to number 10 on the Mainstream Rock chart in November 1999 and being on the Mainstream Rock chart for 28 weeks. The Tormented track "Come Again" is on Staind's 2006 singles compilation. After the Tormented days, Staind did not play a lot of songs on Tormented except for the songs "Tolerate", "Come Again", and "Break".

Track listing

Notes

Personnel