12 Stones (CD - 2002)

Recorded at NRG, North Hollywood, California; Glenwood Place Studios, Burbank, California.

Personnel: Eric Weaver (guitar); Aaron Gainer (drums).

Audio Mixer: Jay Baumgardner.

Recording information: NRG, North Hollywood, CA.

Photographer: Sean Murphy.

Wind-Up Entertainment struck gold with Creed, and the label has made post-grunge rock its signature sound ever since. The trend continues with this eponymous debut from 12 Stones. The New Orleans natives perfectly combine the melodic intervention of Three Doors Down with a sense of dramatic dynamics right out of Nickelback's bag of tricks. It's all held together by soaring vocals -- akin to a more polished version of (four more stones) Gavin Rossdale -- that will sound oh so perfect coming out of a radio speaker, along with more technical axe-work, particularly in the soloing, than the more commercial fare usually has. When you throw in a solid mix courtesy of producer Jay Baumgardner (Drowning Pool, Papa Roach) that accentuates all of the hit-making potential of tracks such as "Open Your Eyes," lead single "Broken," and the tribal "Soulfire," 12 Stones seems to be a can't-miss prospect from start to finish. ~ Brian O'Neill

Whereas groups like Staind move in a linear fashion from full-on rockers to ruminative power ballads, the four young men of 12 Stones instead take a page from the book of Nirvana, unabashedly moving back and forth between depth-charge nu-metal and melodic, contemplative moods within the space of a single song. In fact, this is the modus operandi for the lion's share of the songs on the band's self-titled debut album. Judging from the chart placing of 12 STONES it seems that the gambit worked in a big way. And why not? With such songs as "Crash" and "Back Up" those who appreciate the heavy stuff and the mellower mode in equal measure can have their cake and eat it too. Just don't get any of that cake on the band's rug, because judging from the piercing attack of those grinding guitars, they know how to administer the proverbial beatin'. minimize