In all fairness, I have never been able to sit through a complete album of the Rollins Band. Especially with the newer records, I have found their music to be very interesting and intriguing, but that special thing that makes you wants to listen to the entire album was missing. That`s why I’ve always preferred seeing powerhouse Henry Rollins perform live with his band at festivals; the atmosphere is more fitting to the music, and somehow it just sounds better.

"The Only Way To Know For Sure" is a live album. Recorded in Chicago earlier this year, I can imagine the objections one might have in advance for a live release. I`m not a big fan of live releases myself, as most bands either play the songs exactly like on CD but with crappier sound (Nine Inch Nails, "Fragility") or they play the songs with a live atmosphere that makes all the songs sound pretty much the same (Rammstein, "Live Aus Berlin"). So yes, when I popped this album in my player, I had my objections as well. If the songs are played the same as on the albums, will I be able to sit through both CDs? If the songs are played with a live intensity, is the intensity captured to CD?

Well, in short, "The Only Way To Know For Sure" is a success. The entire concert consists of highlights of the career of the Rollins Band, both old and new songs pass by: `Disconnect`, `Tearing`, `Stop Look & Listen`, `Hell`, `Starve`, `Do It`, `Marcus Has The Evil In Him`.

.. The music, even though it is an analog recording and not processed afterwards, is beautifully mastered. All the instruments come out clearly and distinctly, with Henry Rollins` vocals neither pushing away the instruments nor being pushed away by them. The production, the sound, it sounds even better than on most of his studio albums. I have to admit that Henry Rollins is not a very _good_ vocalist in the traditional sense of the word; now and then he sings in the wrong key, and he has trouble reaching different tones, but instead of being a downside this is what puts the Rollins in Rollins Band.

Another aspect of this live album which makes it more valuable over his regular releases, besides all songs having the same excellent sound, is of course the short spoken intermezzos that appear on the album now and then. His way of introducing his band members, his short speech about society in `Thinking Cap`, it all adds up to the uniqueness of a Rollins concert. Anyone who has ever seen them perform live will know what I`m talking about.

For the fans, there`s three music videos and a bunch of photos included in the multimedia session on the second disc. But even so, without all the extras, "The Only Way To Know For Sure" is both a must-have album for Rollins fanatics as well as an excellent introduction for someone who wants to get to know his material.