Every Given Moment

03/03/2003 9:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Rob O'Connor

Building the perfect nu-metal beast requires the finesse of a gourmet chef. You can't just toss the ingredients together; you have to blend them. In Stereomud's case, it's a matter of forgetting you were ever a member of Life Of Agony or Pro-Pain and moving forward with just the right amount of catchy tunes, hoarse, angry shouting mixed with milder singer, and rhythms that suggest headbanging without denying the other parts of your body. Produced by John Travis (Buckcherry, Kid Rock)and mixed by Jack Joseph Puig (Rolling Stones, Green Day), Stereomud's second album has plenty of big sound and texture to chew on. "Breathing," the album's first single, serves as a blueprint for much of what follows. It's a solid radio-friendly unit shifter that playfully adds a few technological noises to its conventional hard rock guitars and pop song structure. It's the secret recipe that every successful band learns over time.