Stabbing Westward's debut is pretty much an exact cross between Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails, but with a more technically capable vocalist than either. Lyrically, the band's primary focus tends to be on broken relationships and betrayal, themes that the band would frequently revisit throughout their fairly brief recording career. The general feel is darker than any of their other albums, and the guitars are much less prevalent in the overall sound. Those with sharp ears will note the prescence of the chorus riff from Filter's 'Hey Man, Nice Shot' in the albums title track, which was written by guitarist Stuart Zechman who spent time with both acts. Musically, it's quite solid, and Christopher Hall adds an air of authenticity to proceedings with his vocal performance, but the unfortunately, the quality does drop off towards the end of the album. Good, but there are better starting points in Stabbing Westward's discography.
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