Taproot – Plead The Fifth

Release Date: May 11, 2010
Review by Mirak Habbiyyieh

Plead The Fifth the fifth album from Taproot, brings them to Victory Records for what is possibly their heaviest album to date.  Stephen Richards, Mike DeWolf, Phil Lipscomb and Nick Fredell round out Taproot’s lineup.

Right out of the gate, Plead The Fifth is in your face with Steve’s vocals and Mike’s low tuned guitar riffs.  Steve naturally returns to the vocally rhythmic Taproot that we know during the choruses. Combining heavy riffs and heavy vocals with soothing vocals and sweet guitar rhythms, throughout most of the album.  Giving us an all around great hard rock album.

You can hear hints of each previous album throughout as well, which is only adding to the new sounds they push themselves towards.  I’m glad for the heavier album, just like many other fans have been waiting for as well.  I don’t think they are pushing themselves to far; as to keep Taproot rooted (pun intended) with the original feelings from the Upon Us/Something More Than Nothing EPs.

It’s hard to believe that the same person, who produced Our Long Road Home, because they don’t even sound the same, produced Plead The Fifth.  Which sometimes can be a problem, when bands use the same producer.  But it worked for Taproot having Tim Patalan behind the board again.

Can’t forget Phil’s low end which I wish was louder in the mix, because at times he can be drowned out by Mike’s low tuned guitar.  As well as new drummer Nick, who’s been in the band for a couple years now, but this is his first release with the band.  Nick fits in well with these guys and has definitely made the transition to filling in where Jarrod Montague left off.

Stand out songs: Now Rise, Fractured (Everything I Said Was True), Stolage, and Stares