For(N)Ever

Hoobastank | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: January 27, 2009
• Release Date: January 27, 2009
• Label: Island Records
• Copyright: (C) 2009 The Island Def Jam Music Group
• Record Company Required Metadata: Music file contains unique purchase identifier. Learn more.
• Total Length: 38:34
• Genres:
• ASIN: B001PQRRD6
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #68,548 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Definitely NOT The Reason., January 29, 2009

By 

Randy - See all my reviews

This review is from: FOR(N)EVER (Audio CD)

Geez, who the heck remembers Hoobastank these days? They haven't had a really big hit since The Reason way back in 2003, and their last CD was lukewarm at best in terms of popularity. Most people didn't even know they were still making music.

Well, I did.

I'm a huge fan of Agoura Hills bands (which includes Linkin Park), and have been following Hoobastank since "Crawling in the Dark" back in 2001. They've maintained a similar sound throughout all their CDs, namely a particular kind of chord progression that solidly defines their sound. So, with that said, you'll easily be able to tell this is a Hoobastank album and not some imitator. It's very..."them".

However, it seems like the band is trying really, really hard to distance themselves from "The Reason", the song that basically labeled them as pop-rock for a few years, and move back into their post-grunge roots. You won't find any songs on here sounding like "The Reason", "Moving Forward", "If Only", "More Than a Memory", etc. Which, for me, is actually a downer since I love Doug Robb's voice on the softer songs. No, he's essentially yelling or wailing on every song in some form or another.

"My Turn" starts the record off with a decent hard-rocker akin to "Same Direction" or "Born to Lead". "I Don't Think I Love You" showcases a variety of vocal and guitar talents, with a laid-back groove, a driving beat, and equal parts yelling, grating and high-note wailing. "Slow Close, So Far" has a slower beat and a softer tone, referencing people watching the Iraq war on TV and looking for their loved ones in uniform. "All About You" is straight-up hard rock. If you liked "Without a Fight" you'll like this. "The Letter" and "Tears of Yesterday" are both slower rock songs, and could pass for singles easily. The latter has Doug singing in a non-yelling tone, but not quite to the crooning level he's had in past ballads. "Sick of Hanging On" is actually almost on the verge of metal, especially the hard-edged guitar riffs and less melodic chorus. "You're the One" is a nice ballad, though still harder than past affairs. The last 3 tracks, "Who the Hell Am I", "You Need to Be Here" and "Gone Gone Gone" almost make me think of country rock, especially the first. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but slow heavy drum beats and fast-paced vocals aren't exactly a staple of past albums. "You Need to Be Here" is my personal favorite, showcasing a slow beat, classic Hoobastank chord progression (think "Stay the Same") and some of Doug's softer vocals.

Overall, after 2 total listens my impression is that I need to have these songs grow on me, much in the same way that Every Man for Himself did. I'll still say my favorite album is EMfH: sure it was a little different but there were a LOT of standout songs showcasing not only beautiful vocals but excellent lyrics as well. For(N)ever, for now, seems almost like a step backward in terms of evolution for this band, bringing it back to the hard-edged songs of The Reason and the original Self-Titled. They've gone back to their roots, and I applaud them for making music for their hardcore fans first and bandwagon consumers second. I, personally however, prefer Every Man for Himself at the moment.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not That Great, December 11, 2009

By 

Jeffrey J. Laplante - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: FOR(N)EVER (Audio CD)

Against popular opinion, I absolutely loved "Every Man For Himself" and think it is their best album. So I was anxiously awaiting this newest release. I have to say, it is not that good. It really seemed like they started off with the best intentions and then just got lazy in the studio or time ran out, and they released this thing to meet a deadline. There are a few songs that are really good, but as a whole, this is a big let down. I love this band so I hope they can bounce back, but it is higly unlikely that they will be allowed to make another record. And what's with the artwork...horrible cover!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Infinitely better than Every Man For Himself, August 27, 2009

By 

Rock God (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: FOR(N)EVER (Audio CD)

I liked their self titled debut, I really liked The Reason (the album, not so much the song), but after Every Man For Himself I was ready to never give this band another chance. Born To Lead and Without A Fight were the only saving point of that album. Surprisingly For(N)ever is a much more melodic attempt at an album than Every Man For Himself and is definitely worth a listen. Nice to see they decided to actually put some effort into their recordings again even if this cd isn't as heavy or hard-rocking as I would like it to be.