Almost a decade has passed since the notorious Nu-Metal act Limp Bizkit released their poorly sold 2011 album “Gold Cobra.” It was an album that left many fans disappointed and enhanced the “love-hate” relationship between the group and the music world. But beyond the controversy, the band made a name for themselves as one of the pioneers of Nu-Metal, combining elements of hip-hop, rap and aggressive metal into music that reflected anger, abrasiveness and heaviness and songs that made you want to get up and “jump around.” Now the Bizkit Boys are back in business and ready to take charge once more, as their newest album “Still Sucks,” released on Oct. 31, combines slower acoustic ballads with that aggressive Nu-Metal sound, reminding fans that despite all the criticism, you can’t deny that Bizkit is still one of the kings of Nu-Metal. 

Back in July, Fred Durst shocked the world with an Instagram post of his new look as an old man who appears to be in his late 50s with gray hair and a mustache. The look was a style of music that once was designed to attract the attention of unheard and angry youth But Durst and that audience have grown up since the band’s early years as it expresses a message of revitalization of the group and the genre. 

Their first single introduced before the album’s release, “Dad Vibes,” was also performed at this year’s Lollapalooza festival in Chicago. Durst took the stage and introduced his new image to a live audience. Just two months later their newest album was released and, from listening to the album firsthand, the image resonates with what the album aims to present: a newer and much more developed Bizkit that makes an evolution from their original sound and style

The tracklist itself is composed of 12 songs incorporating a mixture of heaviness along with a few ballads that truly piqued my interest. The more somber and simplistic tracks such as  “Empty Hole,” “Goodbye” and a cover of INXS’s 1982’s classic “Don’t Change”  stood out from the rest. Their faster paced tunes, such as “Love the Hate,” provide the expected big middle finger to “the haters.” “Pill Popper ” takes a straight jab at the pharmaceutical industry for its influence in creating drug addicts. In “Love the Hate,” Rappers Drake and Eminem are referenced in one of the hardest-hitting lines. It doesn’t set out to offend the two but rather presents a dialogue of what haters of the band would presumably say about Durst’s rapping in particular. 

 “That motherf**ker Fred Durst / Looks like he fell out his mom’s face first / Yeah, you’re tellin’ me, he’s got no swag / His raps suck like a vacuum bag / That’s what’s up, my G / He the worst white rapper that’ll ever be / Sure as f**k ain’t no Eminem / Looks like he’s got Drake’s pubes on his chin / Yeah, he’s a punk, punk-a** b**ch.”(Southpawers) 

The pre-release single, “Dad Vibes,” didn’t intrigue me. It seemed too cliche and cheesy, with an approach that would be better suited for older audiences who probably would be dad’s in their late 40s to early 50s as I envisioned Durst in his newest outfit blending right into every verse that was presented. I understand what it aims to do in telling audiences that no matter how old one can get they can always get down with the groove. But Durst comes off as trying too hard to be hip with the youth while embarrassing himself in the process. The track “You Bring Out The Worst in Me” directly identifies the correlation for the album’s release being on Halloween with the opening melodic verse

“It’s Halloween

And I’m your ghost

I promised to haunt you the most

When love was dead 

Your heart went black(Your heart went black)

And I promise you I’m comin back

When you’re all alone(when you’re all alone)

Be prepared

Cause you might hear me

This then leads into a terrifying and intensified chorus that lasts about a minute leading once more into a melodic tone as this shift in sound makes it one that directly identifies with the horror themed tone.

What I loved most about this album were the acoustic tunes, especially “Don’t Change” and “Goodbye.” “Don’t Change” is a cover of INXS’s hit track off their 1982 album, “Shabooh Shoobah,” with Bizkit presenting a different sound compared to the original pop-influenced version that turned it into a hit. Instead, we get a toned-down acoustic version that exemplifies Durst’s vocals at some of its very best allowing a more emotional and personal interpretation to be gained that surprised me at great lengths. The song reminded me of another great Bizkit acoustic track, “Behind Blue Eyes,” off their 2003 album, “Results May Vary,” that shows a much more intimate and humanistic Bizkit. 

But my personal favorite was the final tune off the album, called “Goodbye.” The song creates a peaceful and relieving sendoff to listeners. It has promising and hopeful messages while identifying emotions of betrayal and sadness but is somehow integrated within a peaceful and relaxing sound that almost makes you feel as though you’re on the beach vibing out to the ocean. I listened to it on repeat over and over again. The song differs from their heavily anarchic sound but it works in the end giving the album even greater status and connection amongst audiences. It’s an unexpected gem from a band whose sole purpose was, and still is, to piss people off.

Limp Bizkit’s “Still Sucks” offered varying tracks that would satisfy some more than others. Not every track is likeable, but the ones that are – especially their acoustic tunes- offer a newer and more innovative Bizkit.

Overall Score: 7/10 

“Still Sucks” is now available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and Soundcloud