Trapt

So Cal's Trapt enjoyed the massive success of one humongous single, the played-ad-nauseum-on-commercial-radio-airwaves "Headstrong," from their eponymous 2002 debut. When a band catches lightning in a bottle with a radio smash, its members often spend the rest of their career trying to replicate that one career-defining (and changing) song and its accomplishments. Luckily for Trapt, they aren't attempting a redux of "Headstrong." Instead, the band wisely moves forward with a fresh start, having split from the major label constraints of their former home. Only Through the Pain slings mid-tempo, radio-friendly rock and roll over the course of 11 songs, as though they were pledging the same fraternity that former hit factory Chevelle hooked up with when the spins stopped piling up, despite the existence of quality songs.

Moody vocals are supplied by frontman/guitarist Chris Taylor Brown. They exist as the most standout element on the record. His vocals are adequately backed by a storm of guitars that truckers, Midwestern moms and country fair attendees like to gobble up by the bucketful. The title track, "Who's Going Home With You Tonight" and "Ready When You Are" all go down easy, with a followable verse-chorus-verse structure that gives them unquestionable mass appeal. While none of the songs have the hook that made "Headstrong" such an irresistible guilty pleasure, there's more than enough melody and harmony to invoke the interest of the common folk and casual music fan who likes to shake off the dirt of the day by kicking back with a brew and cranking some raucous tunes till bed time. There's no shame in that, and Trapt offer up the goods.

— Amy Sciarretto
08.06.08

Trapt is back with their third studio opus titled "Only Through the Pain." With alternative flair on cuts like "Who's Going Home with You Tonight?" and "Black Rose" the band plays well to the genre. The slickly produced "Ready When You Are" is a radio-ready hit. The tune boasts an infectious chorus while guitar nuances interplay nicely. When Trapt plays to their strengths you can hear a '70s vibe as in "Forget About the Rain" and when they rock - it comes out nicely as heard in"Cover Up." The disc boasts earthy guitar tones that liven the palette, via the production of Garth Atreyu (L7, Rage Against the Machine). With "Only Through the Pain," Trapt mixes together several levels of modern rock; whether it's touching on a funky groove or laying out the rock, the band sounds poised to hit the next level. ~ Steven Douglas Losey, All Music Guide