In the years following his second solo album, 2013's
Proof of Life,
Scott Stapp went through a very public breakdown stemming from addiction and mental health issues. During recovery, he briefly joined the band
Art of Anarchy and sang on their 2017 release, The Madness, before exiting so he could redirect his attention to his health and solo career. Searching within and emerging in a more centered state, he issued his third LP, The Space Between the Shadows. Much like past work,
Stapp leans heavily on his faith and identity, with tortured lyrics centered around both despair and redemption. While there isn't much finesse in his poetry, his message is clearly delivered in that signature baritone that still lands like an emotional wallop to the soul. Sober, humble, and surprisingly vulnerable, Shadows borrows from familiar sources, such as
Alice in Chains,
Soundgarden,
Stone Temple Pilots, and
Godsmack. Hard-charging riffs, meaty growls, and plenty of
Stapp's theatrics should please old
Creed diehards, but at the same time, his newfound maturity and outlook on life are extremely relatable for anyone dealing with life's struggles or recovery. Coming to terms with childhood trauma ("Purpose for Pain," "Name"), seeking redemption ("Heaven in Me," "Survivor," "Wake Up Call"), and choosing optimism ("Ready to Love," "Last Hallelujah") are common themes that offer the best moments on Shadows, while brief dips into the worldly and political ("World I Used to Know," "Mary's Crying") are sweeping but somewhat clunky in their lyrical execution. In a similar vein, "Gone Too Soon" eulogizes
Stapp's late contemporaries
Chris Cornell and
Chester Bennington in schmaltzy fashion, a
U2-sized power ballad that manages to overcome the corniness with an earnest reflection on his own mortality and the realization that he might have had a similar fate. Setting cynicism aside, The Space Between the Shadows is inspirational and powerful, bound to connect with listeners who need to hear this message and feel empowered by a kindred spirit like
Stapp who has made it through the darkness and emerged into the light. ~ Neil Z. Yeung