Review of Flaw's "Through the eyes" album

Flaw is an alternative metal nu-metal hard rock band from Kentucky. "Through the Eyes" was their first major studio album released on Universal Records. It was #119 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album cover is of a child with his mouth zipped shut and silenced. The vocalist expressed this is how he felt throughout his childhood. The album is characterized by clean singing, screaming followed by aggressive guitar riffs, melodic instruments, and pure heavy metal. The album compasses a variety of emotions such as grief, anger, trauma, and so forth.

Only the Strong - I enjoyed this song particularly because it's a positively charged song about rising above your circumstances and overcoming the odds stacked up against you. I loved the build up the intro, the aggressive chords, and vocalist's nu-metal rhythm provide to the chorus.

My Letter - This song focuses on the vocalist's tragic incident where his adoptive mother committed suicide leading him to write a letter in song to her. The vocalist along with the band overall set the mood of the song very well. It sounds as if the songwriter has overcome so many obstacles in life and wants his mother to watch him grow but yet has more to overcome.

Get up again - This song has been featured on both UFC's 2009: Undisputed soundtrack and xXx. It's a positive song with a powerful message on never giving up regardless of the circumstances. It has a similar build up as in "Only the Strong" but with a more melodic chorus.

Whole - The song is another song centering on his mother's suicide and how it has affected him. As he summed up his feelings with the lyric - "I have not been whole.." The instruments themselves evoke a sorrowful mood but also a mix of other feelings.

Amendment - This song's focus on how we all seem to point fingers and destroy each other when we should be focused on ourselves before we pass judgment. The instrumentation is a mixture of anger and pity when it reaches the chorus. "Amendment" is a fitting name for this song."

Inner Strength - This song addresses all the injustices of life and encourages us to strive to make them right. The instrumentation is a mix of an uplifting tone that gradually increases as the song progresses.

Best i am - This is a song calling for people to be role models for the sake of humanity if we are to instill good morals in the world. The instrumentation is energetic throughout the whole song and also encouraging especially at the end.

Out of Whack - This is a song addressing the hypocrisy of someone who holds them as a self righteous leader who tries to control everyone's morals but not realizing that he or she is just as flawed as anyone else. The melodic instrumentation and mood evoke that of someone longing for change.

Reliance - "Reliance" is centered on an abusive relationship and how the songwriter doesn't need to rely on his partner. He is in charge of his own life. I love the aggression and anger expressed in the mood of this song.

One more time - A song expressing the songwriter's regret that he hasn't appreciated his life enough when he's on his deathbed and pleas for it all to change. The mood the instrumentation sets is depressing.

What i have to do - This song is about doing what is best for your life when everyone goes every other direction. Musically, i love the pace of this song and it's gradual explosiveness in the chorus.

Scheme - This song exposes the evils of our government and how it robs people of the lower class.

Payback - One of the most aggressive songs on the album especially the intro when the vocalist sings the first verse. It's about a man who has lost everything and is bent on leaving nothing behind.

No Time - This song addresses the moral dilemma between good and evil before our time runs out. I love the shift in moods from a sad reflective one in the verse to a more energetic one in the chorus.

Overall, this was a solid album. I loved it because it didn't focus too much on production quality. Sometimes in music, a "rough" recording can be fitting. Ultimately, this album was memorable because of the sheer passion it delivered.