Austin Winkler – Vocals
Joe “Blower” Garvey – Guitar
Mark King – Guitar
Mike Rodden – Bass
Cody Hanson – Drums

            Going from virtually unknown to a multi-platinum selling band, touring all over the world with huge named artists like Nickelback and Motley Crue and several huge hits, Hinder rides the success of their debut album and hits stores once again. A little over three years have passed since the release of Extreme Behavior and while lead single, “Get Stoned” hit the rock charts hard to have almost instant success, it wasn’t until single 2 hit the modern and pop stations that they exploded. The track that I sometimes compare to other artists new tracks to prove that they have the same potential in their songs as Hinder did and does, “Lips of an Angel” took them from semi-known to rock fans to the super-known to potentially anyone with ears. Take it to the Limit, which hit stores on Election Day ’08, features 11 tracks one of which features a Motley Crue member. The fun loving, party band begins with a bang of a song “Use Me.” As the lead single released back in July of ’08, it’s now made its way to the game Rock Band. It begins the album with a bang as they throw everything at you but the kitchen sink. They brought back the raging guitars, great backing vocals, and an infectious sound that can get a party started. A steady flow of heart pumping tunes starts where their Extreme Behavior album left off. “Loaded and Alone” begins with a gradual sound, easing into the meat of the song. Listeners are lead down guitar filled road that sounds a bit like a Bon Jovi track. The catchy sounding track does supply some odd lyrics when read, but the music still drives the track to a stellar performance. Once I listened to “Last Kiss Goodbye” I thought I heard the follow-up to “Lips of an Angel.” It’s a slower sexual track that will make the woman and young ladies melt and probably get a little wild too. “Up All Night” gets back into the partying groove with a drunken, fun loving time. It would make a perfect opening track, since they already have a closing one. “Up All Night” begins with pounding drums that start at the your feet, adds in raging guitars that flows up the body, the combination of the two gets the arms flying and hands clapping while the gang vocals will fill up your ears to make a complete head to toe, fun loving song. “Without You” takes the music down a notch, but the mood up a few. To me it takes over the next “Lips…” song from “Last Kiss Goodbye.” It should take its spot right up close to the top of the pop charts just like their earlier “Lips…” track, one listen and you’ll agree. Once you reach the title track you are half way done with the album. With two party tracks, two sensual tracks and one stuck in the middle its time to catch the joint on fire again and take everything to the limit. “Take it to the Limit” does just that with a special guitar ripping the place up. Mick Mars of Motley Crue lends this guitar play to their stage mates of a few tours. It picks the pace backs up with a legendary party rocker. It is the shortest track on the album, but it does its job with getting that blood flowing again and spicing up the album once again. The eighth track was played at some shows for a while, so you might have heard it before. It’s a slower track with a lot of heart. It was introduced as “Heaven Lost You,” but now entitled “Heaven Sent.” It has that big time feel to it, but has that the same distinct Bon Jovi sound to it. “Thing for You” gives you the second slower track in a row with distant vocals set that is hard to hear in spots of the music while “Lost in the Sun” is a catchy pop style that the teenage girls will love. It is beautifully written and is sure to be a hit. It’s one that will be around for a while and might just be that hidden gem on the album. The album wraps up with a track called “Far From Home.” It’s another slower track that that just doesn’t do it for me. it lulls you to sleep. Overall it’s an okay album with a few blockbusters sprinkled throughout a pretty short and corporate sounding album. I was going into the album hoping and praying that they didn’t produce an album full of slower “Lips of an Angel” type songs and during the first portion of the album they had a good mix of fast, upbeat tracks and slower sensual songs, but the back half of the album stayed to the latter side of things. If I rated the first half separate from the second half it would be lopsided. The back half does have some fine songs that seem to come from the heart, but where did the party animals that they want to be, where are the rock all night, stay up until noon and sleep until 5pm guys we expect? That’s way I could it a corporate album and not one that it’s formed from what the band represents or how they live. I’ve meet the guys, seen the guys fresh off the debut release and tracks like “Use Me,” and “Up All Night” fit them more. There is not a doubt in my mind that they have improved in the writing skills, but they need to keep the intensity up as well. The object is to grow as a band, keep what’s good, and modify what needs work. Don’t fall into the track of reproducing a certain type of track to keep that fame, because it’s hard to lose it once you have it and they already have it. Kick up the intensity again and rock out, that’s what I say!

Rating:  7.5 out of 10

My favorite tracks:

Use Me, Up All Night, Without You

Track List:

1.      Use Me

2.      Loaded and Alone

3.      Last Kiss Goodbye

4.      Up All Night

5.      Without You

6.      Take it to the Limit

7.      The Best is yet to Come

8.      Heaven Sent

9.      Thing for You

10.  Lost in the Sun

11.  Far From Home