Fourth album from nu-metallers Staind and the follow up to their 2001 release 'Break The Cycle'. Produced by Josh Abraham, '14 Shades Of Grey' offers angst-ridden, introspective, passive-aggressive nu-metal with grunge flavoured soft rock.

May 2003

Staind are back with their highly anticipated fourth album. Recorded in Los Angeles with producer Josh Abraham ('Orange County' OST) and Andy Wallace (Jeff Buckley, Faith No More), '14 Shades Of Grey' finds the band picking right up where 2001's multi-platinum 'Break The Cycle' left off, imbuing the most aggressive and dissonant sounds with a musicality and beauty that would be equally as powerful even if performed on an acoustic guitar. Includes the single 'Price To Pay'.

Full title: 14 Shades Of Grey.
This limited-edition of 14 SHADES OF GREY includes a bonus DVD featuring a home-movie documentary of the band's history.
This is a Hyper CD which contains regular audio tracks and also provides a link to the artist's website with the help of a web browser.
Staind: Aaron Lewis (vocals); Mike Mushok (guitar); Johnny "Old School" April (bass); Jon Wysocki (drums).
While many bands lumped under the nu-metal banner seem to rely on angry posturing and shock tactics to sell records, Staind has quietly and consistently topped the sales and radio charts with a stripped-down and emotionally direct approach devoid of gimmickry. On the group's third album 14 SHADES OF GREY, singer Aaron Lewis and crew deliver a distinctly organic-sounding, mature disc that still manages to rock like a wild beast.
Powered by the pile-driving yet earthy rhythm section of bassist Johnny April and drummer Jon Wysocki, Staind stands head and shoulders above many of its contemporaries by mixing de-tuned thrash with an old-school rock & roll kick. There's a touch of bluesy Zeppelin mixed in with the angst, and the band's subtle sexiness serves to temper Lewis's darker melodic and lyrical instincts. Featuring songs that address everything from the joyous birth of the singer's daughter ("Zoe Jane") to the tragic death of Alice In Chains vocalist Layne Staley ("Layne"), 14 SHADES OF GREY is an unquestionably adult album created by a band at once deafeningly heavy and clearly more concerned with making art than scaring parents.

Although they are very much their own band, Staind are often linked to Limp Bizkit, whose singer Fred Durst was instrumental in aiding the band's career. Early on, Durst suggested that lead singer Aaron Lewis integrate solo acoustic touches into the band's heavy-rock approach. And while Staind proved itself fully capable of rocking as hard as any of its nu-metal brethren, it was ultimately an introspective, acoustic-based ballad that provided Staind with its biggest hit, the ubiquitous "It's Been Awhile," which became one of 2001's most-heard songs.