Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 06/18/2002
Within the context of its times,
lovehatetragedy is a gamble of sorts, as
Papa Roach abandons their affiliation with
rock/
rap fusion (except for one highly effective moment on
"She Loves Me Not") and hies back to their original pure
metal- and
punk-inflected
hard rock stance. Lead singer
Coby Dick certifies the change by reverting to his birth name,
Jacoby Shaddix, but in other respects his performance sticks to its formula of gut-busting delivery and lyrics whose candor can get a little embarrassing. (On
"Decompression Period," for instance, he essentially tells his band as well as his beleaguered wife that he's sick of being around them.) A few tracks, most notably
"Singular Indestructible Droid," struggle toward metaphor, with mixed results. What can't be denied is that
Shaddix's woes connect directly to a large and equally confused audience, and that nobody this side of
Kurt Cobain communicates them with as much power. As always, his message rides a turbulent current of guitar/bass riffs whose militaristic precision only enhances their intensity.
~Robert L. Doerschuk, All Music Guide
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