Album Reviews

While many bands that achieve success on terrestrial radio–like 10 Years—are often faceless, and indistinguishable, and can be interchanged without much thought, 10 Years manage to sidestep the rest of the like-sounding pack by grafting slightly progressive riffs with vocalist Jesse Hasek's talk-sing vocal style. The result on Division is a little bit Tool, a little bit A Perfect Circle, and a little bit of Staind.

Division is radio friendly rock that’s got a melancholic, and yes, a bit of a mopey current coursing through every single one of its bleeding, supercharged veins. 10 Years easily switches gears, shifting from head-down yet raucous rock songs "Just Can't Win" to contemplative, acoustic ballads with introspective beating hearts, like "Focus," which was cowritten by Stone Temple Pilots guitarist, Dean DeLeo. 10 Years earns more than a few points for its bipolar personality, and their deft skill in swinging the musical pendulum back and forth several times during the course of the album.

—Amy Sciarretto
05.09.08