Plead the Fifth

Taproot | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 11, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Victory Records
• ASIN: B0039I5C1M
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #36,671 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

2010 release, the fifth album from the Alt-Metal outfit. Plead The Fifth combines all of the elements that their fans have come to expect from the band with an updated take on their style of heavy rock. It's a fantastic new chapter in the history of this outstanding band.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EPIC., May 11, 2010

By 

Lee E. Strohe "GloryDaysDesign" (Bangor, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Plead The Fifth (MP3 Download)

This album punches you in the face from the very first song, and hardly let's up. The boys from Taproot have been here for quite some time, and I highly recommend buying all of their albums. "Plead the Fifth" is going to do some serious damage in the music industry, and Taproot deserves it. Better yet, their live show is legendary, and is as entertainingly energetic, and dynamic as this album.

The lead track, "Now Rise" comes right at you with the Drop A sound and returns the longtime Taproot fan to the glory days of the album "Gift". This track is already worth the price of admission.

"Game Over" does not let up in the least. Baritone guitars in your ears, with witty timechanges giving you that characteristic Taproot sound.

"Fractured" is the lead single off this album, and doesn't stray far from prior singles "Calling" & "Wherever I Stand". A crunching riff with incredible lyrics that everyone can relate to. And worry not, the Stephen Richards scream awaits you on this melodic rollercoaster.

"Release Me" has that hook that you will not stop singing. This seems to be the fullest and most balanced track on the album. It shows off Stephen Richards vocal range in a big way, and you will be moving your head to the crunching beat in no time. Have fun singing this one! "ah whyyy yi yi yi"

"Stolage" is the best song on the album. I should end it there. This will be Taproots hugest hit to date. Something very well deserved. A smash hit that I feel could easily be nominated for "Rock Song of the Year". Your neck is going to hurt after this cruncher!

"91lost" gives your ears a break and Taproot shows off their versatility. A melodic journey with quite the message. This song has characteristics of some prior songs on "Our Long Road Home". Some cool lead guitar action going on here, but no worries, the heaviness lies underneath the entire time.

"Trophy WiFi" again takes you on that newly quicker Taproot beat and then breaks you down to the definitive heavy chorus. Once again, Taproot doesn't let up with the intricate drumming distorted guitaring.

"Words Don't Mean a Thing" is a song that could also be on their former album "BLUE SKY RESEARCH". (my personal fav) A solid, solid rock song that once again is filled with the Stephen Richards versatility. He truly hits vocal ranges that are amazingly not normal. This song will be another great single, with the incredible bridge and overlaying thick guitars.

"Left Behind" brings you back to the thrashing early days of Taproot once again. Another mosh pit basher that reminds me a lot of the heavy track "myself" off of "WELCOME". And this is the greatest live song in the history of Taproot. This is a very dynamic track and starts off musically innocent but gets evil in a hurry.

"No View is True" is possibly the best lyrical track on the album. "i've found no religion, but I still have faith" This is another song that shows off the melodic side of Taproot, with Stephen Richards growls awaiting you. I would say this is my least favorite track on the album, but still pretty decent.

"Stares" summarizes the entire journey of this album in one bashing song. This is my personal favorite, and it is downright epic. It will make you shake with the heavy basslines. This song has everything: incredible timechanges, the heaviest bridge i've heard on any album in some time, while the harmonic sounds of Stephen Richards voice are singing and screaming the entire time. "We are nothing but cheap wine, in the rush to become so fine" are some incredible lyrics on this song. This song is leaves you in awe.

Good things are in store for Taproot my friends. This album combines the baritone sounds of "GIFT", the heavy timechanges of "WELCOME", the dynamic song writing of "BLUE SKY RESEARCH", and the uniqueness of "OUR LONG ROAD HOME". This is and easy buy, and you will be recommending it to friends.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Full circle: A rare case of a valid return-to-roots claim..., May 13, 2010

By 

Hostile Apostle (Midwestern Somewhere, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Plead the Fifth (Audio CD)

Taproot's fifth album -- aptly-titled Plead the Fifth -- is a return to form for the Michigan-based four-piece. This will surely satisfy MOST of the fans that have been complaining of the band's lack of edge since Welcome, but the melodic feel from Blue-Sky Research and Our Long Road Home is clearly still evident, which may still turn some off. That does not say that this effort does not rock; it does rock -- pretty hard actually! The boys of Taproot have thrown in the collective sound from the past ten years or so, brought back the baritone guitars, tightened the production, sprinkled in some clever lyrics, and quite possibly released their most articulate and balanced overall effort to date.

The album opens with "Now Rise," which makes no waste of the album's introduction. Despite past works' overall feel, Taproot has consistently made the best of managing the opening slot over each one of their albums, and this is no exception. From the start, vocalist Stephen Richards beckons the listener to "join us" as "together we'll fall, you make the call," suggesting that Taproot is back with a vengeance. The bridge here is as heavy as you can imagine Taproot to be and sounds somewhat similar to Three Dollar Bill-era Limp Bizkit...except better and heavier. "Game Over" follows in what is one of the most complete tracks on Plead the Fifth -- heavy screaming and guitars out of the gate, a melodic and catchy chorus, and completed by a heavy exit. Ex-drummer, Jarrod Montague, states the intro and guitars on this track reminded him of a self-titled Korn track, and I concur.

The album's first two singles make up tracks 3 and 4, "Fractured" and "Release Me," respectively. The former has a little heavier, yet similar vibe to Our Long Road Home, while "Release Me" sounds like a lost track from Welcome. As solid as these two tracks may be, they merely scratch the surface of the collective quality of Plead the Fifth.

"Stolage" is the brightest spot on the album. This song simply rocks and it never sits still for a moment. The tempo bounces around frequently before entering a soaring chorus and submerging back into the heavy riff of the second verse, unrelenting the rest of the way. This is new territory for Taproot; it really can't be compared to much of anything they've done and serves as a prime example of the album's melting pot theme. There's a little bit of everything thrown into this one. The outro is a nice touch too, which echoes a cooing Predator-like effect...capping off the biggest and most bad-@$$ Taproot jam in recent memory.

While the first act of the Plead the Fifth evokes more directly to Taproot's first two albums, the second act flows into a sound that can be compared more to the band's mature and experimental sound expressed through BSR and OLRH. "911ost" recalls scattered hints of Deftones throughout its verses and set the stage for a few slower, mid-tempo tracks. While these tracks aren't ballads by any means (there are no "Run To" or "Promise" songs here), they do bring the listener back to Earth, calming the nerves a bit from the first act's adrenaline rush. "Trophy WiFi" begins with a heavy riff, before settling into a nice lazy guitar lick provided by lead Mike DeWolf. Tinges of early Staind appear throughout this track, particularly with Richards's growling/screaming technique. The guy is just a monster on this album! "Words Don't Mean a Thing" and "Left Behind" follow and provide the audience with something that sounds somewhere between Welcome and Blue Sky Research -- dark, haunting, with crunching guitars and a catchy chorus to boot.

While "Left Behind" resurrects the album's intensity, the final two songs -- "No View Is True" and "Stares" -- sustain this energy and close out the album. The former track is a bit more melodic and is ultimately upstaged by the heavier, darker, and more staccato-laced album closer, "Stares." The bridge of this track is insanely heavy -- firing at all cylinders, blowing out the speakers, and completing a very satisfying listen for any Taproot fan. Those who disagree certainly have the right, but if you can't appreciate this album for what it is, that's just too bad. Taproot clearly came into this album with the intent of making a 'heavy' effort FOR THE FANS and, in my opinion, has succeeded on all levels.

Fans that were disappointed by the previous effort(s) -- by all means, give this a shot! Plead The Fifth is a grower. Play it once, and then put it away. Come back and play it again, then put it away. By the fourth or fifth spin, these songs will begin to take on their own, unique identity, molding themselves into an enjoyable fortress of emotion and turmoil. As a major proponent of Blue-Sky Research, I feel this album is right up there with the band's greatest works. By the way, to get the true Taproot experience -- SEE THEM LIVE! The energy is simply unmatched and they put a lot of work into their shows, so support them! Most bands that profess a return to form simply can't walk the talk, but this is indeed a rare case of an act doing just that. Congrats on a success boys! To loosely quote Richards on the final thoughts of this album, Taproot has "made reality their bi*** this time..."

Final grade: 4.5 / 5 stars

Highlights:

Now Rise
Game Over
Release Me
Stolace
Trophy WiFi
Left Behind
No View Is True
Stares

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Much Much Better, May 11, 2010

By 

Dons Word "Don C" "D Cavanaugh" (Schenectady, NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Plead the Fifth (Audio CD)

I was a huge fan of 'Welcome'. Certain songs on there just burned. Even though the radio play for 'Poem' was absurd, I found the deep CD tracks to be very well done and loved the darker harmonies and down tuned metal sound. So I went back and picked up the debut 'Gift', which was hit or miss, though had a good edge to it. A bit more raw, so I liked it well enough.

Then came 'Blue Sky Research' and, well, I was not a fan. A much lighter sound and polished. Though it had a couple good tracks, I was let down overall.

The last one, I just did not bother with..

That gets us here and I will admit, I picked it up for the price. I mean $8? How could I not give it a spin. listened to a track on MySpace and liked it enough.

Well, glad I did. The heavier guitar sound is back as well as the slightly darker production. Though I have only listened twice, I am feeling it is a grower. The guitar sounds FANTASTIC here. Heavy down tuned bar chords to mix with the lighter textures. 'Game Over' and 'Release Me' are only 2 examples of classic Taproot tracks that are on here. As i type I am listening to 'Stolage' which is friggin brilliant so I am sure there are more to be found with repeated listens.

Pick it up for this price while you can, but if you read this late it is still worth it regardless. If you liked 'Welcome' as I did and were skeptical, you will really like this one too.