Until I heard Creed.

This album is amazing. Creed is a tier above the rest of the music industry. I get so sick of "artists" worshipping at the altar of money and popularity. Creed has a strong thread of reality and wholeness that I haven't heard in a long time. They tell stories, they write philosophy, they address issues, they offer hope. "My Own Prison" is a powerful piece of art.

If you aren't a fan of grunge/hard rock music, their edginess may turn you off. Personally, I think they have it just right. Scott Stapp's voice conveys anger, hurt, or hope very well and the band is very professional in its playing.

Obviously they can be compared in sound to Pearl Jam, and other groups. But certainly not in quality. They have actual messages. They are a group that can write, can sing, can play, and can really inspire.

Creed is fueled by the band members' own passions and beliefs, and that shows through in this great CD. They aren't "wannabes"; it's the rest of the music industry that is!


Creed puts the rock back into rock and roll   June 1, 2000
Lisa Lester (Las Vegas, NV)
36 out of 38 found this review helpful

Creed-a quartet out of Florida who like every other band out there dreamed of becoming stars. With hard work and determination, Creed began their rise with this debut My Own Prison. Scott Stapp may sound a bit like Eddie Vedder(Pearl Jam) but his deep voice calls for unity in "One" discusses a friend's suicide "What's This Life For" and relates an episode of him drinking too much 'shroom juice with the line "should've been dead on a Sunday morning" in "my Own Prison." Mark Tremonti-a truly gifted guitarist successfully backs up Stapp with his rhythmic riffs and his back-up sultry voice. Brian Marshall's pulsating bass provides rhythm throughout and Scott Phillip's pounding of the skins provides a memorable beat for all. For everyone who has never heard Creed, come out from hiding and check this remarkable CD out. You will truly be blown away by the songwriting of Stapp and Tremonti as well as the deeper meaning behind each and every song.


Hard Rockers Rejoiced in 1997   November 27, 2000
Brent A. Mikel (Maysville, GA)
20 out of 22 found this review helpful

Some hard music fans despaired in the late 1990's worried that their style of music would be overrun by pseudo-skacore pretenders and teeny-bop boy-wonder bands that made sugar-pop for pre-teens (I was going to try and get in a few more hyphenated words there, but ....). Then along came Creed. They covered no new ground musically, but they did revisit the well traveled roads of hard music and made a name for themselves in the process. Needless to say, they were welcomed with open arms, ears, and wallets.

You know this album is going to rock when Mark Tremonti's guitar starts to kick-in right as Scott Stapp sings "Lies are what they tell me" in "Torn". "Ode" takes the rock one step higher and harder before things tone down some for "My Own Prison". We kind of tolerate "Pity For a Dime", "In America", and "Illusion" before "Unforgiven" explodes confidently from the first note. "Sister" is a fun and sentimental rocker. "What's This Life For" asks an emotional question that really gets no answer (beware of one naughty word sung three times). Finally, "One" visits social frustrations as it punctuates an energetic departure.

Although we can celebrate the sound of edgy hard rock all day long, the amazing thing about "My Own Prison" is the lyrics themselves. Creed incorporates a great deal of religious imagery, angst, frustration, and anger in to the song writing, but isn't that how so many of us feel? ... and possibly that is why the foursome became so popular. We heard songs about us.

All-in-all, "My Own Prison" plays very well in any CD player. Parents may object to hearing profanity (God's name in vain coupled with "damn") on track number 9, but Creed definitely puts pop music on its gluteus maximus with this release. It is a strong debut.


Creed's 1st album - Jackpot of Gold   February 18, 2005
Petar Vodogaz (Sydney, NSW Australia)
11 out of 11 found this review helpful

This is by far the best that Creed has offered. Since breaking up late last year, I can now better fully appreciate this album which gives an insight to the beginnings of this doomed band. The song lyrics are beautifully constructed and created by Stapp himself. In no way is Creed 'a Christian rock band', they don't preach conversion in their songs, what they do sing about is things we can all relate to in our lives.
'My Own Prison' is a masterpiece with two helluva great songs in 'Illusion' and 'Unforgiven'. I have the Australian CD release version where a bonus track 'Bound and Tied' was included. This album is 'tour de force' of Creed's best.


EXCELLENT CLASSIC HARDCORE ROCK   January 3, 2000
Keith Patrick Larsen (New York City)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

WOW. What can I say. As someone (I'm 37) who grew up on Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Dokken, etc. and heard their message, CREED gives us GREAT MUSIC with a message that's POSITIVE. I honestly believe life sucks, but at least I don't feel like blowing my brains out (I had a friend that did that). GOD is PARAMOUNT with CREED and they do give a message of FAITH. I like their dark songs, too, for that's great at times...CREED still taps into WHITE ANGST. Keep it up.