Papa Roach News

(1/23/02, 6 p.m. ET) -- Papa Roach is aiming for a June 25 release for its new album, Lovehatetragedy, which is being produced by Pearl Jam and Rage Against The Machine producer Brendan O'Brien. Eight songs have been tracked, and tentative titles include "Explosive Energy Movement," "Time And Time Again," "Heart Of Darkness," "Sid," "Black Clouds," "Code Of Energy," "She Loves Me Not," and "Things Get Worse."

A majority of the songs came together last year at OzzFest, and bassist Tobin Esperance told LAUNCH the difference between the new songs and those off the band's platinum 2000 release Infest. "I think we've grown up a lot in the past couple years," he said. "It think there's a lot of the same sh-t going on with Papa Roach but then there's a lot of different stuff. A lot of more melodic, some experimental things going on but still P-Roach. Just a lot of heart and soul, but still the heaviness. But I think there's going to be a lot of laid-back soul, just grooves, just f--kin' you know a lot of melodies, but still there's going to be the heavy sh-t."

The songs are about the price you pay for touring; from the havoc the road wreaks on relationships with girlfriends, wives, and even the band itself. "We wrote a song called 'Decompression Period,' said singer Coby Dick, who is now going by his given name, Jacoby Shaddix, in a statement. "There was a point where we almost broke up. We went through two bottles of vodka a night. We were just not happy as people. We came home, and I needed some space to clear my head and think about what I was going through. The relationship with our band has gotten stronger singing a song like that."

Papa Roach will play a festival in Caracas, Venezuela on March 14, and the band is ready to road-test a few of the songs in intimate settings across America this May. A full-fledged U.S. tour will coincide with the release of Lovehatetragedy.

-- Darren Davis, New York

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