''Tormented'' is the debut studio album by the American
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
band
Staind
Staind ( ) is an American rock band from Springfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The original lineup consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist and backing vocalist Johnny April, and ...
, self-released in 1996. In 1993, Staind vocalist
Aaron Lewis
Aaron Francis Lewis (born April 13, 1972) is an American musician who is best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and founding member of the alternative metal band Staind, with whom he released eight studio albums. Since 2010, he has p ...
and Staind guitarist
Mike Mushok
Michael Mushok (born April 10, 1970) is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist for the nu metal band Staind. He is a member of supergroup Saint Asonia and played in the band Newsted.
Life and career
Mushok was born in Ludlow ...
met each other at a Christmas party in the
New England
New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...
area. Mushok brought drummer Jon Wysocki into the fold and Lewis had a connection with bass guitarist Pete McEwan who later left, starting the early lineup. Shortly after bassist Johnny April joined, Staind officially formed in
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, and its county seat. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ea ...
on November 24, 1995. Touring in the Northeast United States helped Staind achieve a
cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The latter is often called a cult classic. A film, boo ...
.
''Tormented'' was self-released on November 29, 1996. Promoting ''Tormented'', Staind played gigs throughout New England with bands such as
God Lives Underwater
God Lives Underwater was an American rock band, formed during 1993 in Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania by vocalist/programmer David Reilly and guitarist/programmer Jeff Turzo. They were later joined by guitarist Andrew McGee and drummer Adam Kar ...
,
Gwar
Gwar, often stylized as GWAR, is an American heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia, in 1984, composed of and operated by a frequently rotating line-up of musicians, artists, and filmmakers collectively known as Slave Pit Inc. Since ...
, and
Kilgore Kilgore may refer to:
Places
* Kilgore, Texas, the largest US city named Kilgore
* Kilgore, Idaho
* Kilgore, Nebraska
* Kilgore, Ohio
* Kilgore College
Fictional characters
* Kilgore Trout, a recurring character in the novels of Kurt Vonnegut
...
. The album helped get Staind a record deal with
Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit is an American nu metal band from Jacksonville, Florida. Its lineup consists of lead vocalist Fred Durst, drummer John Otto (drummer), John Otto, guitarist Wes Borland, turntablist DJ Lethal and bassist Sam Rivers (bassist), Sam ...
vocalist
Fred Durst
William Frederick Durst (born Frederick Allen Mayne III; August 20, 1970) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, and director. He is the frontman and lyricist of the nu metal band Limp Bizkit, formed in 1994, with whom he has release ...
and the record label
Flip Records. Durst was initially appalled by the album artwork, but changed his mind and signed Staind after being impressed with the band's performance.
''Tormented'' received minor attention after its release, selling at least a few thousand copies. Critical reception was positive towards the heaviness and aggression of ''Tormented'', but was negative towards the album's production. Described as a
metal
A metal () is a material that, when polished or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, electricity and thermal conductivity, heat relatively well. These properties are all associated wit ...
album by critics, ''Tormented'' is somewhat of a
concept album
A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...
that tells the story of a depressed person who eventually commits
suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death.
Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
, inspired by Lewis's past struggles with depression, a relationship break-up and suicidal thoughts.
Background and recording

In 1993, Lewis and Staind guitarist
Mike Mushok
Michael Mushok (born April 10, 1970) is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist for the nu metal band Staind. He is a member of supergroup Saint Asonia and played in the band Newsted.
Life and career
Mushok was born in Ludlow ...
met at a Christmas party in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Mushok brought drummer Jon Wysocki into the band and Lewis had a connection with bass guitar player Pete McEwan who later left, completing the early lineup of the band in early 1995.
Originally, Staind went by the name Stain, but changed the name to Staind after the band found out the moniker already had been claimed by another group. Staind originally covered songs by bands such as
Korn
Korn (stylized as KoЯn) is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, originally formed in 1993 by James Shaffer, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald Arvizu, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu and David Silveria, who were members of the band ...
,
Tool
A tool is an Physical object, object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many Tool use by animals, animals use simple tools, only human bei ...
,
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AiC) is an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1987. Since 2006, the band's lineup has comprised vocalist/guitarists Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall, bassist Mike Inez, and drummer Sean Kinney. Voca ...
,
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine (often abbreviated as RATM or shortened to Rage) was an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1991. It consisted of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim ...
,
Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots, commonly abbreviated as STP, is an American Rock music, rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 1989. Originally consisting of lead vocalist Scott Weiland, guitarist Dean DeLeo, bassist Robert DeLeo, and drummer :Songs ...
,
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. One of the key bands in the grunge, grunge movement of the early 1990s, Pearl Jam has outsold and outlasted many of its contemporaries from the early 1990s, ...
,
Deftones
Deftones is an American alternative metal band formed in Sacramento, California in 1988. They were formed by frontman Chino Moreno, lead guitarist Stephen Carpenter and drummer Abe Cunningham, with bassist Chi Cheng and keyboardist and tu ...
, and
Helmet
A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protecti ...
.
The band played their first gig in February 1995.
The band officially formed in Springfield, Massachusetts on November 24, 1995,
after Johnny April joined the same month replacing the original bassist.
By 1996, Staind obtained the $2,500 they needed for recording ''Tormented''.
While ''Tormented'' was being written and recorded, Lewis reportedly was going through the throes of the breakup of a four-year relationship. Mushok said in a 2021
Ultimate Guitar
Ultimate Guitar (Ultimate Guitar USA LLC), also known as Ultimate-Guitar.com or simply UG, is an online platform for guitarists and musicians, started on October 9, 1998 by Eugeny Naidenov and based in San Francisco, US. Its website and mobile ...
interview that the first songs he and Lewis wrote together are "No One's Kind" and "Painful", both of which appeared on ''Tormented''. Extensive touring in the Northeast United States helped Staind acquire an
underground following.
In a 2008 interview, Lewis elaborated on the motivation for the musical style featured on ''Tormented'':
Music and lyrics

The songs on ''Tormented'' are about topics such as pain, animosity,
suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death.
Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
and depression. Author Tommy Udo wrote: "''Tormented'' is one long rush of hardcore a 900mph scream of a man smashing his head against a wall with frustration". According to ''Rockzone'', ''Tormented'' "revealed the raw feelings of a band whose front man Aaron Lewis captivated the minds and souls of teenagers and young adults tired of the vanity that has overcome life." Described as
alternative metal
Alternative metal (also known as alt-metal) is a genre of heavy metal music that combines heavy metal with influences from alternative rock and other genres not normally associated with metal. Alternative metal bands are often characterized by ...
by
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
,
''Tormented'' is also somewhat of a
concept album
A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...
that tells the story of a depressed person who eventually commits suicide.
This is hinted by the spoken-word line, "it's been like this forever... no more... I hate my fucking life", followed by the sound of a gun being cocked before the first song, "Tolerate";
[Lewis, Aaron, Mike Mushok, Jon Wysocki, and Johnny April, perfs. Tolerate. Staind. 1996. CD.] this thematic device returns with the line "there's nothing left for me" and then the sound of a gunshot immediately after the song "Four Walls" and before the hidden track "Funeral".
[Lewis, Aaron, Mike Mushok, Jon Wysocki, and Johnny April, perfs. Four Walls. Staind. 1996. CD.] The lyrics on ''Tormented'' were written by Lewis except the lyrics to "Four Walls", which was written by Mushok. Mushok provided the spoken word vocals on ''Tormented'',
which appeared in the songs "Tolerate", "Painful", "Nameless", "See Thru", and "Four Walls".
Mushok said that Staind wrote ''Tormented'' first and then included suicidal spoken word lines such as on "Tolerate" after finishing writing the album.
[
The lyrics on ''Tormented'' are influenced by Lewis' life, which involved a dysfunctional family, divorced parents, a falling-out with his mother, being disowned by his grandfather's side of the family, and ]bullying
Bullying is the use of force, coercion, Suffering, hurtful teasing, comments, or threats, in order to abuse, aggression, aggressively wikt:domination, dominate, or intimidate one or more others. The behavior is often repeated and habitual. On ...
. Lewis elaborated, saying: "My life, up to a point, was shit. But I've come a long way. I grew up in a trailer park in Vermont
Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...
. That was the shit I got out of me in ''Tormented'' and ''Dysfunction
Dysfunction can refer to:
* Abnormality (behavior)
* Dysfunctional family
* Sexual dysfunction
* ''Dysfunction'' (album), an album by the rock band Staind
* Manifest and latent functions and dysfunctions (sociological theory)
*Measurement dysfunc ...
'', and tailing into ''Break the Cycle
''Break the Cycle'' is the third studio album by American rock band Staind, released through Flip Records and Elektra Entertainment on May 8, 2001. It is Staind's most successful album to date and was the album that broke them into the mainstr ...
''. But the title, ''Break the Cycle'', says it all." For years, Lewis experienced serious depression and also considered suicide, too. "I’ve had a gun in my mouth," he says. "Just crying and wanting to do it, but not being able to for the thought of what it would do to the people I was going to leave behind. It took a hell of a lot more courage to not pull that trigger than it would have taken to pull it." The lyrics on ''Tormented'' have created controversy, with lyrics to songs like "Tolerate" and "Four Walls" showing themes of violence and antisocial values. AllMusic described ''Tormented'' as "grittier and more raw than" Staind's "subsequent releases". The album's music, which features singing and screaming, has been compared to that of the heavy metal band Pantera. During Staind's early days, Lewis was influenced by bands like Pantera and Sepultura
Sepultura (, "grave")Barcinski & Gomes 1999, page 17. is a Brazilian heavy metal band formed in Belo Horizonte in 1984 by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera.Barcinski & Gomes 1999, page 16. They were a major force in the groove metal, thrash met ...
.
According to the ''Lollipop'', Staind combine grunge
Grunge (sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound) is an alternative rock Music genre, genre and subculture that emerged during the in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington, particularly in Seattle and Music of Olympia, Washington, O ...
-influenced hooks with heavy metal-style drums and guitars. Describing the vocals on ''Tormented'', ''Lollipop'' elaborated: "Vocally, it may seem odd to say a band can have the passionate trembling of, ya know, those Seattle bands, yet have a desperate howl that is rather Korn
Korn (stylized as KoЯn) is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, originally formed in 1993 by James Shaffer, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald Arvizu, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu and David Silveria, who were members of the band ...
esque." According to AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
, ''Tormented'' shows influences from Tool, Faith No More
Faith No More is an American Rock music, rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1979. Before September 1983, the band performed under the names Sharp Young Men and later Faith No Man. Bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist/rhythm guitarist ...
, and Pantera. In 2008, Staind guitarist Mike Mushok
Michael Mushok (born April 10, 1970) is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist for the nu metal band Staind. He is a member of supergroup Saint Asonia and played in the band Newsted.
Life and career
Mushok was born in Ludlow ...
expressed his lack of appreciation for ''Tormented'': "We have a lot of fans who say, 'I love ''Tormented''.' I'm like, 'Have you ever listened to it? Because I can't.'" Despite being an aggressive album overall, ''Tormented'' song "Four Walls" is a soft song, foreshadowing Staind's overall change in the early 2000s to a softer sound.
Release, promotion, and reception
Release, promotion, and sales
Self-released on November 29, 1996, ''Tormented'' was launched with a record-release party which drew at least 900 people, with many obtaining the album. Being distributed to local record stores and at concerts, 2,000 copies of ''Tormented'' were sold within a year and ''Tormented'' was later available on Staind's website. ''Tormented'' had only sold a few thousand copies by 2002. Promoting the release of ''Tormented'', Staind played gigs throughout New England with bands such as God Lives Underwater
God Lives Underwater was an American rock band, formed during 1993 in Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania by vocalist/programmer David Reilly and guitarist/programmer Jeff Turzo. They were later joined by guitarist Andrew McGee and drummer Adam Kar ...
, Gwar
Gwar, often stylized as GWAR, is an American heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia, in 1984, composed of and operated by a frequently rotating line-up of musicians, artists, and filmmakers collectively known as Slave Pit Inc. Since ...
, and Kilgore Kilgore may refer to:
Places
* Kilgore, Texas, the largest US city named Kilgore
* Kilgore, Idaho
* Kilgore, Nebraska
* Kilgore, Ohio
* Kilgore College
Fictional characters
* Kilgore Trout, a recurring character in the novels of Kurt Vonnegut
...
.
Critical reception
Anthony Tognazzini of AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
gave the album a very positive review, writing: " 'Tormented''shows a band with its alternative metal heart in the right place ..Despite some spotty production, this impressive debut unleashes a band whose amps are overloaded, and whose aim is deadly. The original version of " Mudshuvel" (which later appeared on ''Dysfunction'') is one of several highlights." In 1997, Steven Woltasek of ''CMJ New Music Report
CMJ Holdings Corp. is a music events, online media company and a distributor of up and coming music CDs, originally founded in 1978, which ran a website, hosted an annual festival in New York City, and published two magazines, ''CMJ New Music ...
'' wrote: "For those of you that don't know, wake up and look around for the debut release from Staind entitled In the book ''Brave Nu World'', author Tommy Udo wrote: "To go back now and listen to Staind's 1996 debut, ''Tormented'', back to back with ''Break The Cycle
''Break the Cycle'' is the third studio album by American rock band Staind, released through Flip Records and Elektra Entertainment on May 8, 2001. It is Staind's most successful album to date and was the album that broke them into the mainstr ...
'' is like listening to another band". Scott Hefflon of the ''Lollipop'' wrote: "Staind are savvy, street-smart, and dammit, they rock. Their studio debut, ''tOrmenteD'', shows either a natural knack for milking the most out of a crunchy guitar, or they had some good coaching." The ''Northeast Performer'' wrote: "Staind's musicianship is striking, and their live performance takes their recorded material one step further: pushing the envelope, ripping up the envelope, then jumping up and down all over the envelope til there ain't a damn thing left". Andrew Blackie of ''PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, ...
'' wrote about ''Tormented'': "It’s disarming how heavy" Staind "were in those days, how screaming misery ... over harsh, sololess distortions made them sound more like the protégé of Pantera than the descendants of Alice in Chains they do today." Chad Childers of ''Loudwire
''Loudwire'' is an American online media magazine that covers news of hard rock and heavy metal artists. It is owned by media and entertainment business Townsquare Media. Since its launch in August 2011, ''Loudwire'' has secured exclusive i ...
'' ranked ''Tormented'' sixth place out of the band's seven studio albums, describing it as "a promising start for Staind, though one not widely heard."
Artwork
The album is known for its graphic cover art. The cover depicts a bloody Barbie
Barbie is a fashion doll created by American businesswoman Ruth Handler, manufactured by American toy and entertainment company Mattel and introduced on March 9, 1959. The toy was based on the German Bild Lilli doll, Bild Lilli doll which Hand ...
doll
A doll is a physical model, model typically of a human or humanoid character, often used as a toy for children. Dolls have also been used in traditional religious rituals throughout the world. Traditional dolls made of materials such as clay and ...
on a crucifix
A crucifix (from the Latin meaning '(one) fixed to a cross') is a cross with an image of Jesus on it, as distinct from a bare cross. The representation of Jesus himself on the cross is referred to in English as the (Latin for 'body'). The cru ...
with nails hanging from a plastic frame, a buried person with a rosary
The Rosary (; , in the sense of "crown of roses" or "garland of roses"), formally known as the Psalter of Jesus and Mary (Latin: Psalterium Jesu et Mariae), also known as the Dominican Rosary (as distinct from other forms of rosary such as the ...
protruding from the person's nose, and a knife impaling a Bible
The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...
. On October 23, 1997, when Staind met Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit is an American nu metal band from Jacksonville, Florida. Its lineup consists of lead vocalist Fred Durst, drummer John Otto (drummer), John Otto, guitarist Wes Borland, turntablist DJ Lethal and bassist Sam Rivers (bassist), Sam ...
vocalist Fred Durst
William Frederick Durst (born Frederick Allen Mayne III; August 20, 1970) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, and director. He is the frontman and lyricist of the nu metal band Limp Bizkit, formed in 1994, with whom he has release ...
at the Webster Theater
The Webster Theater is a music venue in the south end of Hartford, Connecticut. The Webster Underground is an attached smaller venue, which usually acts as a second stage during concerts on the main stage.
History
The Webster opened on November ...
in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...
, ''Tormented'' album cover appalled Durst so much that he attempted to remove Staind from a concert bill shortly before their performance. Durst thought that Staind were Theistic Satanists. Despite his attempts to stop the band from performing, Durst eventually changed his mind and allowed Staind to perform. After hearing Staind perform, Durst was so impressed that he signed them to Flip Records by February 1998. Durst produced Staind's second album ''Dysfunction'' (1999).
Mushok said he "tried to get" Durst "to calm down", explaining to Durst that the cover art was meant to portray someone "who seemed normal going through a difficult time". Mushok said the cover art represents "someone who had lost belief in everything". According to Mushok, the cover art was not meant to be a religious thing. Mushok said the cover art "came out" as a religious thing "because the Bible was the most shocking image." Lewis said that the album cover "was twisted and demented and it totally did what it was supposed to do, which is shock the hell out of urst. Lewis then said nonetheless, Durst "didn't find it shocking in an amusing way. It definitely grabbed your attention. That was the point of it." Lewis also has said about ''Tormented'' album cover: "That artwork depicted where I was at in my life," Lewis says. "I had lost faith in everything, from religion to love to life." Staind reportedly thought later that the album cover for ''Tormented'' was naïve. According to Mushok, Staind had to reschedule the album's release party because they had difficulty finding anyone willing to print the artwork. ''Tormented'' also has artwork that shows the album's titles in smeared blood similar to the Charles Manson
Charles Milles Manson (; November 12, 1934 – November 19, 2017) was an American criminal, cult leader, and musician who led the Manson Family, a cult based in California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Some cult members committed a Manson ...
tradition. Backwards letters are also used on the song titles.
Live performances and post-''Tormented''
The ''Tormented'' track "Mudshuvel" was re-recorded and renamed "Mudshovel
"Mudshovel" (originally "Mudshuvel") is a song by the American rock band Staind. It was released in 1996 as the first single from ''Tormented'' and then released as the third single from their 1999 studio album ''Dysfunction''. It reached number 1 ...
" as a radio-friendly version and the re-recorded version was released in 1999 as the third single for Staind's second studio album ''Dysfunction''. It became the band's breakthrough single and the most popular song from their second studio album, ranking on the Mainstream Rock
Mainstream rock (also known as heritage rock) is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada.
Format background
Mainstream rock stations represent a cross between classic rock, active rock and alternativ ...
chart for 28 weeks where it peaked at number 10 in November 1999. The ''Tormented'' track "Come Again" is on Staind's 2006 singles compilation. "Come Again" also appears on a sampler which was both free and available for fans who Staind's 2005 studio album ''Chapter V Chapter Five refers to a fifth Chapter (books), chapter in a book.
Chapter Five, Chapter 5, or Chapter V may also refer to:
Albums
* ''Chapter 5: Letter'', a 2002 album by g.o.d.
* ''Chapter V: Underrated'', a Syleena Johnson album, 2011
* Chapter ...
''. The ''Tormented'' track "See Thru" was for the 2002 soundtrack album ''NASCAR on Fox: Crank It Up''. For a long time, Staind have not played many songs from ''Tormented'' except for "Tolerate", "Come Again", and "Break".
Track listing
;Notes:
*The voice from the intro of "Tolerate" can be heard again at the end of "Four Walls", saying, "There's nothing left for me", followed by the sound of a gunshot, segueing into the silence that follows.
*"Four Walls" ends at 5:28, and is followed by 8:02 seconds of silence. A hidden track begins at 13:30.
*The hidden track at the end of “Four Walls”, entitled "Funeral",[ is a near 20-minute ]musique concrète
Musique concrète (; ): " problem for any translator of an academic work in French is that the language is relatively abstract and theoretical compared to English; one might even say that the mode of thinking itself tends to be more schematic ...
track, meant to replicate a funeral. The track contains a church organ
Carol Williams performing at the West_Point_Cadet_Chapel.html" ;"title="United States Military Academy West Point Cadet Chapel">United States Military Academy West Point Cadet Chapel.
In music, the organ is a keyboard instrument of one or mo ...
that plays continuously throughout the track, the sound of a few people coughing, and a preacher reciting passages of the Bible
The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writte ...
, including Psalm 23
Psalm 23 is the 23rd psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "The Lord is my shepherd". In Latin, it is known by the incipit, "". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and ...
and Psalm 121
Psalm 121 is the 121st psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help”. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint ...
from the Old Testament
The Old Testament (OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew and occasionally Aramaic writings by the Isr ...
's book the Book of Psalms
The Book of Psalms ( , ; ; ; ; , in Islam also called Zabur, ), also known as the Psalter, is the first book of the third section of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) called ('Writings'), and a book of the Old Testament.
The book is an anthology of H ...
. The audio progressively distorts, with the preacher’s voice descending in pitch and back-masking, the organ becoming more sporadic in its composition, and the sounds of static and a siren spontaneously interrupting.
Personnel
Credits are adapted from AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
and ''Tormented'' liner notes.
;Staind
* Aaron Lewis
Aaron Francis Lewis (born April 13, 1972) is an American musician who is best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and founding member of the alternative metal band Staind, with whom he released eight studio albums. Since 2010, he has p ...
– lead vocals
* Mike Mushok
Michael Mushok (born April 10, 1970) is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist for the nu metal band Staind. He is a member of supergroup Saint Asonia and played in the band Newsted.
Life and career
Mushok was born in Ludlow ...
– guitars, backing vocals, spoken word
Spoken word is an oral poetic performance art that is based mainly on the poem as well as the performer's aesthetic qualities. It is a 20th-century continuation of an oral tradition, ancient oral artistic tradition that focuses on the aesthetic ...
* Johnny April – bass, backing vocals
* Jon Wysocki – drums
;Additional personnel
* Jeff Gilmer – production, engineering
* Mike Mushok – production, artwork
* Johnny April – production, artwork
* Kaz – artwork
* Keith Vasquez – photography
References
Citations
Bibliography
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tormented (Staind Album)
Staind albums
1996 debut albums
Self-released albums
Works about suicide
Works about depression
1990s concept albums