To feed their hungry fans in 2010 after 2009’s excellent and fulfilling "Metamorphosis" full length album, Papa Roach has released "Time For Annihilation...On the Record and On the Road", which features five brand new songs and nine live (soon to be classics). This album marks the departure from major label Interscope/Geffen and the debut on the independent Eleven Seven Music. Lead singer Jacoby Shaddix commented that the band wanted to work with a team who is focused on strictly rock music rather than pop and urban, and Eleven Seven gives them that without sacrificing the manpower of a major. Good for Papa Roach, I feel this band continues to get better with time and "Metamorphosis" was their best album to date. These five new cuts are killer and show signs of continued success in the bands future.

The album kicks off with ‘Burn’, a rather dark tune in which Shaddix spews venom towards a female who screwed him over in a relationship... "I trusted you, broke me down and you screwed me over, don’t try to deny, you cannot hide, I’ll be ignited when I get to watch you BURN, BURN, BURN!" The guitars are crunchier than a Nestle bar during the delivery of each intense "BURN!" and the song is an overall punch in the face. Filled with expletives, this one is like a modern day ‘Last Resort’ and captures the same angry intensity of that early classic. A video was just shot for ‘Burn’ and released on October 28. ‘One Track Mind’ is a heavy, fast paced tune which keeps the feet tapping and will have you humming the chorus by its second delivery. The lyrics are a brutally honest look into the path towards self destruction. Arrangement wise this one perfectly molds the bands early rap metal sound with today’s arena rock vibe creating the perfect storm of a song. ‘Kick In The Teeth’ is the first single off this album and is infectious but mainstream friendly as it is something I can easily hear on the radio. It has that poppy yet hard rock stomp to it reminding me of Nickelback’s ‘Burn It To The Ground”. ‘No Matter What’ is a beautiful ballad which I assume is about the relationship between Jacoby and his wife as they are high school sweethearts. ‘The Enemy’ rounds out the new batch of songs and is one that could have easily fit in on the last record. I really like the direction Papa Roach is going in with their current sound. I was never big on them before ‘Metamorphosis’ but since that album have become a fan and now appreciate some of their older tunes a bit more.

Highlights from the live cuts include ‘To Be Loved’, ‘Scars’ and ‘Last Resort’. ‘To Be Loved’ is just such a great sing a long hard rocker and a song that certainly lifts my spirits and in this live setting was especially cool. ‘Scars’ was a huge hit for the boys and while introducing the song in this live setting Jacoby takes a minute to recognize his band and how much he loves them and how everything they does comes from the heart (which was a nice touch). ‘Last Resort’ is of course the song that put Roach on the map way back when and listening to this particular version is just so intense with the entire audience singing at the top of their lungs, word for word, especially when the opening line is repeated towards the end of the song. ‘Lifeline’ and ‘Hollywood Whore’ (from “Metamorphosis”), are great cuts and I wish they would do ‘Nights of Love’ from said album live one of these days as it is a favorite of mine.

Overall, Papa Roach is a very fun band and just a blast to see live. I have seen them open for both Motley Crue and Nickelback and each time they left me wanting more. Can’t wait to see them do a headliner hopefully soon! "Time For Annihilation" has certainly filled the void between the last album and the next full length.