Rating: NN
You know, it’s not that Trapt is a particularly bad or untalented band from time to time the L.A.-based four-piece exhibits some degree of rock competence with a catchy chorus here or decent riff there in a way that’ll keep them on the radio. No, what stands between the grunge- and 90s-alt-inspired band and critical praise is the fact that they simply cannot create anything that sounds different from all the Nickelbacks and Three Days Graces out there.
The songs on Pain (I’m assuming they aren’t being ironic in that title) suffer from an almost complete lack of personality, while the lyrics, care of singer Chris Brown, are indistinguishable, bland attempts at confessionals and rife with clichés. Any sort of “feeling” channelled through the tunes comes off as contrived and forced, while almost all of Pain blurs together in a mass of over-emotive power chords and post-teen angst.
Trapt play tonight (Thursday, August 28) at Molson Amphitheatre.
