An impressive start for neo-metal contenders Staind, “Dysfunction” is a dark and brooding album with just the right amount of heaviness. And they had plenty of name-brand help, too: The record was produced by Terry Date (Deftones, Pantera) and co-produced by Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst. Tracks like “Raw,” “Mud-shovel” and “Spleen” are fast and furious, while “Just Go” and “Me” tap into a slower vein. Aaron Lewis’ attack-dog vocals mesh well with the loud guitars and heavy drums. An annoying guitar riff virtually destroys “Crawl,” the only short stick on the disc.
This article appears in Aug 18-24, 1999.