By Ryan Fosbenner
Staff Writer

Shortly after Hinder’s 2005 debut album release of Extreme Behavior, many of Hinder’s fans were expecting them to continue down the path they originally ventured. Extreme Behavior led Hinder’s fan base to believe they were a group of sentimental rockers that really had a meaningful message to convey. With their recent November 4th release of Take It to the Limit, Hinder established themselves as just the opposite.

Take It to the Limit contains 11 tracks, most of which tell stories about attractive women and living life in the fast lane. There are no real surprises in this album, there are really no messages be- hind what you hear. From singing about their adventures of waking up with women they don’t even know and thinking they are in love on “Thing For You” to the stereotypical rock star’s view of attractive women in “Use Me”, Hinder makes it clear that they are now here to take their lifestyles to the limit. According to Hinder, no one can do it better than one of their idols, Mick Mars of Motley Crue. He was so impressed with Hinder’s debut album, Extreme Behavior, that he agreed to make an appearance in their title track, “Take It to the Limit”.

Although Hinder released a lot of edgy tracks in Take It to the Limit, they also seemed to bring back what brought them into the business in tracks such as “Last

Kiss Goodbye”, “Without You”, and “Far from Home”. It is not unusual for a band to change their aim, or in intense cases, music styles so quickly. It is only natural for Hinder to get sucked up in their instant success with their debut album, but hopefully, they will learn in time that the majority of their songs on this album do not separate them from any of their competition.

Aside from the fact that the lyrics in most of Take It to the Limit’s tracks seem so similar to bands in the present and the past, Hinder made up for it with their catchy and full guitar solos and melodies. If you are not one to judge a song on their lyrics, then this album will certainly satisfy your musical needs.

Overall, Hinder’s Take It to the Limit produced some solid sounds and had a couple stellar tracks that will definitely attract the ears of most young listeners. If you were a fan of Hinder’s first album, Extreme Behavior, you may be finding yourself looking elsewhere for some solid, lyrically sound music. Hinder really struck gold with their first album, and it is a mystery why they felt such a strong desire for such rap- id change. Maybe this is Hinder trying to find themselves? Their sophomore album was probably not the best choice of mediums to exert their desires of wanting to live the true rock star lifestyle. If this statement is true, ladies and gentlemen, let me be the first to introduce to you to the new and unimproved Hinder.