Forcefeed are a group of Dutchmen who’ve been making music since 2001, nu-metal music. 2001: That means they started their band knowing that nu-metal was long gone from the limelight, and by then, widely disrespected. That makes their choice to play nu-metal a brave and interesting one. It might even mean they’re good. Certain media responses to their debut album provide some backdrop for that thought. So does ‘Stainless’, their second album, do the same? Well… Let’s say ‘for the most part’. I’ll take you through a couple of songs, mixed with some arguments, that prove this point and then to a conclusion

‘Stainless’ kicks off violently, with ‘In Spite Of You’, a catchy nu-metal(core) song with a somewhat sappy chorus, that does fit very well within the song.
The singer has a pretty good clean voice and a good aggressive voice and/or grunt. The range of his clean voice is a bit limited though, as if he can’t exactly reach the note he should hit. Instrumentally things sound tight.
Number two reminds of Spineshank’s album Strictly Diesel, which was pretty cool, back in the day. There’s aggressive drums, using the whole kit and the song has a nice, abrupt ending. Bang! It’s done.
‘No one’ (four)starts with a bass riff, that after 8 seconds is joined by guitars and after 30, joined by the high-hat. Great, great intro. Especially the drums are smart. When the intro is done, a solid nu-metal song follows. To some extent predictable, but somehow, still very nice. Especially the breakdown at 1:30 left in the song. And the second one at 1:03, with some symphonic noises, nice nice nice. The end leaves something to be desired, but overall a good song.
Number five starts very, very standard. This riff we know, this riff we have heard from 533 bands before. Still, there’s something in the way they deliver. Like nu-metal is still booming, like nothing happened. They’re nu-metal, and not ashamed of it, but instead, proud. That shows. No excuses. A good clean sung part again in this song, with now, a sufficient performance from singer, who seems to get better with every song. Sure, the lyrics aren’t that imaginative or brilliant, but somehow this does not annoy. They just fit, like everything just king of seems to fit.
‘Regret’, starts like the inevitable ballad. Nu-metal ballads always have the tendency to really suck major ass, and it seems Forcefeed realise this in time, to make it a normal, powerful song with sensitive clean choruses. Oh dear, they really hit a brick wall at 2:49 when a truly sappy subchorus sets in. You cannot do that. Don’t do that!
Luckily, the misery only takes fifteen seconds and from there it’s on with business.

This song really is the most ‘hit’ likely, for it towards the second half of the song contains a whole crop of clean, catchy choruses. Too much ‘lovey dovey’, too little anger. Don’t do that. Don’t make hits. I don’t like hits.
Number seven. Of course, when you make nu-metal you need 11 songs. With metalcore you can do 9, with difficult metal, you can do 8 or even 7, but with nu-metal, you got to have 11 or at least ten and a forgettable ‘hidden’ song. What I’m getting at is: the only purpose this song has on the album is that of ‘filler’. It’s shit. Example: ‘I refuse to live in a world that is strange to me, that is harsh to me; I can’t take, I can’t take it.’ Yeah, and I don’t like that I’m not a millionaire, and I haven’t yet written a hundred books. Don’t do that. Don’t go all grade school lyrics on me. I don’t like grade school lyrics.
‘Inside’ (nine). A start you would not wish upon a song. No sir. Don’t do that. Don’t start a song like a bunch of talentless idiots. I don’t like talentless idiot. Forcefeed is better than that. Luckily the song does pick itself up from the gutter. It forms into a repetitious song, with like only two riffs and one kind of vocal, but that at the same time, is also its power. Strange attraction. Enduring riffage. Conviction in the one riff.
Number ten. Higher pace, more anger. Less inspired drums. So-so lyrics. Familiar riffs. I need to take a leak. Kind of Oomph! reminiscent vocal thing going on at 0:50 to go in the song. Forgettable song.
‘To Not Care’, the last song: ‘Sometimes it’s better to not care. I cannot lose what I don’t have. Everything I love is something I’m losing and sometimes it’s better to not care’. That’s how we kick it off. Well, it’s words, and I see what he’s saying, but I believe he has to word it more mystically. The song does put the correct music to the lyrical feeling and in that it’s good. The aggressive break at 1:40 left is very good, and instrumentally inventive.
At 0:45, it’s the intro again, but now slower. The whole song stands on a one line lyrical foundation, which would actually be okay, had it been a well worded sentence, but… Shit, it just doesn’t quite cut it.

Clearly, ‘Stainless’ is quite a good nu-metal album, but it has it flaws that keep it from greatness. A couple of forgettable songs, not really convincing lyrics, some quite unoriginal riffs and so on and so on. However, the songs are all well structured and played with great conviction, as if they really believe in themselves and that in the end is a really defining feature for Forcefeed, that makes this album one of the better nu-metal releases of the year.