File Under: Mall Metal rating: D tracks 1. All Of The Above 2. Backlash 3. Inside Joke 4. Swing Harder 5. Build 6. Adriana 7. Do What You Feel Like 8. I Am For Real 9. Get In 10. Hoodies & Hoods 11. State 12. Open Season related links BMG Records

Headstrong is another cookie-cutter mall metal band looking to cash in on the ignorant masses who still believe Godsmack created the dropped-D metal riff. Not only does Headstrong garner this sound; they do a half-assed job of it.

The only shining moment for this album (imagine a small sprout in a desolate field) is the bass playing of Jon Cohen, who lays down some nice bass lines, but that is about as interesting as the album gets. Overall, it comes of lazy and boring. If Fred Durst keeps packing on pounds and gets to the immobile state of fatness that leads to a Richard Simmons intervention, he may sound as lazy as lead vocalist Matt Kinna.

The sickening thing about this is that some producer probably encouraged this sound from the band. Hopefully he will not get hired to make another album again.

When you see this album in the future, all dust covered in the bargain bin, look at that new album in your hand and know that the couple dollars more you are paying for that band’s new album is worth not having to listen to this one. Unless it is another Mall Metal band, but of course you would have this garbage by then.

Samuel Barker is Senior Editor. Contact him at suma@rockzone.com.