Mentored Beginnings: Theory of a Deadman

THEORY OF A DEADMAN. 

SCORE: 70/100

Written and produced with Chad Kroeger in one of the front seats, Theory of a Deadman debuted with a hard rock album reminiscent of Nickelback. 

The band was the first group to be signed by Kroeger under 604 records, leading their sound into a formulaic and predictable sound - but one that will please fans of Nickelback greatly. It's clear that Kroeger heavily influenced the output and style that the band was creating, but the end result is a heavier, less vocally inclined Nickelback. 

Some of the mixing of this album suffers from some issues, and there are signs of weakness that would dissolve later into the band's career once they started to make extremely potent, tongue-in-cheek, and oftentimes "rude" music that got all of its potency from catchy choruses that are impossible to get out of your head. This album lacks the memorable qualities that the band's other music carries, but it's a sonically solid project that mixes post-grunge and hard rock very well. 

Tyler Connolly is a decent vocalist - with a voice that is palatable on this album, but one that doesn't stick out almost at all. This album almost feels demo-like in nature, with Connolly oftentimes being drowned out by the instrumentals within the album. Theory follow a very strategically standardized format, with it being overwhelmingly clear that Kroeger backed the album; there is a severe lack of originality within the album, and the shifts in tone don't land. 

Truthfully, this album doesn't have anything bad about it at all. Everything is very solid, and although it's stereotypical, it works, and it appeals to the audience that it was clearly made for. There are some great songs within the album, and the songwriting duo of Connolly and Kroeger made for some very potent and dramatic songs that combine the blossoming of individuality with guidance from a mentor; a pure musical bond that spawned what could be described as a "copycat" project for Nickelback. 

Despite this album being somewhat weak in terms of substance, it boasts some lyrically inclined material, a good palate that shows potential and leads to links of improvement on their further albums, and it introduces the band well. This is without a doubt a project that any post-grunge fans will get some enjoyment out of, and although they weren't yet a hugely individual band, they had the substance and the gusto to churn out some good material to make for a good album.