Creed Album: “Full Circle”

Honestly I really didn't know what to expect of this Cd.. Knowing these guys hadn't made music for over 7 years!! When I heard Of a Creed reunion, I thought to myself.. yea right.. more like cashing in on leftover Alter Bridge riffs!! Boyyy was I wrong! At first listen I was quite confused honestly, as I didn't understand, or rather didn't digest the fact that this is Creed 09! But upon second listen I was hooked!! I have to admit, I'm a fan of both Creed and Alter Bridge. Now Scott Stapp, whether on his own, or with Creed.. IS a quality song writer, and I'm happy to hear the same on this Cd. Coming to the Music.. its no news that Mark Tremonti's guitar skills just kill with every shred and more over, We have all heard him on Creed and on Alter Bridge too. His guitar skills / solos mainly, are the driving force behind both bands, and besides, all band members are more mature now, and have a better understanding of the music they play and its direction. I'd like to think of the music on this Cd like a cross between the Hard Edge Rock of Alter Bridge and the acoustic / electric Nature of Creeds 1st album "My Own Prison" For people looking for "those one or 2 songs" that shine on a Cd and make it so popular that before you know it, it becomes Radio Garbage, and eventually gets retired on Radio Stations... nope.. not here!! This Cd Shines, sure.. but u ain't gonna find another "Arms Wide Open" or "My Sacrifice" here. I wont go in detail with track by track analysis, Simply put this Cd is a great Come Back effort, all the songs are different, and this Cd will stick in your Players for awhile. For old fans and New.. this Cd is a great Buy. Now go "BUY" it ;o)

This album is definitely different from the original grunge sound of My Own Prison and Human Clay. It sounds like modernized rock, with an edge to it. Some of the noteworthy songs are a Thousand Faces, Away in Silence, and Time, for both lyrics and great guitar riffs. It starts out as a very passionate push in Overcome (the first single) to defeat the demons in your life and not to give up, to a bit more tense and mysterious sound in Bread of Shame, where you can't quite get rid of the guilt even if you want to and you have a hard time finding your place in life, to a completely stunning riff lyrically and musically in a Thousand Faces, where you face so many different forms of yourself you don't know quite who you are. Then suddenly SUDDENLY hits, like a crash right before your eyes. You don't know what to do or how to deal with this new introspection to life, but it's time to face up to it. Rain is about washing away all that hatred and pain, and starting a new, cleansing of yourself and your soul. A very soft and mellow ballad that is the second single of the album. Away in Silence has a special piece in it. It was written because back in 2006 when the lead singer of Creed's wife was going to leave him after he would not clean up his life. It is a song begging her not to leave him and for her to be able to love him again although all trust has been broken and there are now only tears left. Fear is a lot like Weathered's Bullet's lyrically and perhaps musically. It seems, although I'm not sure why, to be the one song that really throws a punch out to you. It sounds like the heaviest one on the album and focuses on how change can be quite an impact on your life and a force to be reckoned with. You can't just run from it. On My Sleeve has a somewhat Alter Bridge bluesy sound to it, but combines with it the passion seen on Stapp's solo album, similar to Justify, where it focuses on how your heart is so into something your soul depends on it and how its life startling when this passionate dream does not work out for you. It's a great song for your dreams and goals.

Full Circle, the title of the track has a Southern Rock sound to it with the plucking at the beginning and the melody Stapp sings reminds me of Rhythm of the Night or similar to Melissa Etheridge. It is the song that solidifies that Creed is back, and that they've seen both the good and the bad and now they're in it to stay. Time is sort of confusing to describe lyrically. It is a very long and bluesy song about how Time makes things so distant and can be more of an enemy than a friend. It's definitely worth listening to for Tremonti's solo. Good Fight has a feel like Stapp's solo song Reach Out. It's a bit too rough around the edges, especially at the end when he leaves it off. It's about fighting for the good and against the bad. It's pretty much the easiest way to describe it. The Song You Sing is very sweet musically, but lyrically could be improved. I feel it's about how Stapp hopes he can touch this world with his words and be an inspiration.

Overall, Good Fight is a 7 or 8 out of 10, The Song You Sing perhaps an 8 or a 9 and the rest near a 10. It's a great album with different themes, but it takes a few good listens before you get a feel for the new sound that they have and get used to it. Think Scott Stapp solo driving hard into Alter Bridge's Blackbird and you sort of get this combination, but it feels like a natural evolution for them, not a push like Weathered was.

Have always been a fan of the band, specially the rhythm section; Am a huge Scott Phillips fan, has a great style and is completely self taught! Have listened to the new album 4 times through and keeps growing; loved it on first play; but even more after and after...

This is where modern rock should be; am happy with the mastering and just a great release!!!

Ok first off, I have always been a Creed/Alter Bridge/Scott Stapp fan. I loved all their albums but always preferred the heavier side of Creed. Well, this album DEFINITELY delivers that (and more). This album is amazing from start to finish. Tremonti delivers some amazing guitar riffs (as he always does) layered with Stapps new style of vocals makes this album a near perfect 10 for me. This album has a great variety of music and really shows the talent these guys have. The song writing is top notch, no filler songs here folks, any song on this album could be a big hit. IT IS THAT GOOD. Great Creed album to date, period. Standout tracks are are A Thousand Faces, Away In Silence, Fear, On My Sleeve, Full Circle, Time, and The Song You Sing. If you are fan of rock please pick this album up, even if you hated Creed before you should still give it a chance because this definitely isn't the Creed of old. This is Creed 2009!!! \m/

Ok, so I admit up front, I am a Creed fan. That being said, I immediately liked every cut as I heard them. I won't go into a song by song review. But, the major strengths of this recording are cleaner vocals by Stapp, impecable guitar work by Tremonti, and of course the rythim section is great. My only complaint would be that they never let Tremonti expand on his riffs. There could have been more guitar solos and when they were there, the producer must have cut them short. I guess the producer was pushing for a more radio friendly CD. That's a shame because Creed can stand on their own without the radio. In my opinion however, this is the best Creed effort yet and I hope we see more.