Review Summary: No more than rocking hard, but good rocking hard.
Truth is, I didn't have high expectations regarding Stereomud. I actually thought they would be some muscular and clumsy Nu-Metal/Hard Rock band. I was definitely wrong. I guess it's because all members of Stereomud are not new to the music business. They come from bands such as Switched, Stuck Mojo and Pro-Pain. However, bands that to collect members from other bands also tend to fall, no? Well, that's just not the case with Stereomud. The band sounds great together, and pump out good song after another.
After an intro, "Leave (Back Up)" blast off with the pounding riff and the simple, but catchy chorus. That song is pure delight for anyone who likes this kind of hard rock. However, the album constantly bounces between average and great. "Don't Be Afraid" and "Pain" have decent hooks and energy, but don't rise up much while "Old Man" and the oddly-title "What" demand pressing the "back" button after they're over.
As the album goes on, Stereomud ends up sounding between Stuck Mojo and Sevendust. Especially Sevendust, since they borrow their mascular-yet-mature style of Hard Rock with some pretty good lyrics. This is not really a bad thing, since Sevendust are a great band. It does have its downside though, especially when the songs lack identity. They all sound the same formula, only some execute it better, some don't. Even the acoustic title-track sounds a little like the rest of the albums.
Despite the similarity between the tracks, it doesn't mean they're not worth listening to. Aside from packing riffs and hooks, Stereomud can write some good lyrics which make some songs remain in the ear. "Don't Be Afraid" is a little clumsy, but it's a good "stand up for yourself" song. The positivity of "Sunlight" is an obvious highpoint of the song. It may the song's strgenth. Sure, the topics tackled in Perfect Self are pretty typical, but the lyrics are written well and it's all tha t matters.
Among the sea of cliche and boring Nu-Metal who can't produce a good song to save their lives,
Perfect Self is an album I needed to remember why I listen to the genre. Sure, the songs are samey, but they're well-crafted and well-played. Plus, the album is consistent and can be listened from beginning to end. There's no real reason not to try this if you're a Nu-Metal/Hard Rock junkie.
