lovehatetragedy

Thud, thwack, whine, repeat. So it goes with nü-metalheads Papa Roach. Their latest is a plodding assault of machine-gun riffs, leaden drumming, and frontman Jacoby Shaddix’s pained shrieks. The band’s odes to self-pity and romantic turmoil are more Dan Fogelberg than Ozzy Osbourne, but in fairness, lovehatetragedy is far more tolerable than 2000’s Infest. Storms of guitar noise kick up some decent hooks, and Shaddix has quit rapping almost entirely. Still, they have a long way to go just to reach mediocrity.