Finger Eleven

It's always somewhat confusing when bands go eponymous on anything but their first album. More often than not, such a decision designates a mid-life crisis of sorts, where said artists are simultaneously trying to reaffirm their identity while reinventing themselves for the future. Canada's Finger Eleven obviously arrived at these crossroads with their third set of foreboding, angst-ridden alt-metal, yet, ironically, the album easily qualifies as their most confident and sincere statement to date. Where its very solid, but concession-prone predecessor, Greyest of Blue Skies, had smacked of pre-fab radio-bound nu-metal sleekness, Finger Eleven represents a far more honest and confident reflection of the band's natural instincts. Clearly the sound of a band embracing their personal creativity wholeheartedly -- no matter what commercial fate it may bring them -- first-half winners like "Complicated Questions," "Stay in Shadow," and the strangely Devo-esque "Good Times," undoubtedly stand out as the most distinctive work of the band's career. Unfortunately, similarly revealing second-half offerings like "Conversations" and "Panic Attack" don't quite measure up in terms of quality songwriting inspiration; and the band's sporadic forays into acoustic numbers, though well-intentioned, exude greater technical competence than outright inspiration. A mixed blessing to be sure, it's a fair assumption that Finger Eleven signifies a personal victory for this Canadian quintet, but only time will confirm its prophecy of a new dawn for this well-intentioned group. [Finger Eleven comes packed with a bonus DVD featuring live performances and behind the scenes studio footage.]