From Chaos

1	You Get Worked
2	Sick Tight
3	You Wouldn't Believe
4	Full Rice
5	From Chaos
6	I Told Myself
7	Champagne
8	Hostile Apostle
9	Wake Your Mind Up
10	Amber
11	Uncalm
12	I'll Be Here Awhile

Barnes & Noble

The title of this, the sixth album from Omaha's most famous non-bovine export, is a bit misleading. Yes, 311 are hard edged, doggedly riff mongering and tough talking, but the overall feel that the band exudes is that of a well-oiled rock machine, not a perpetrator of anything chaotic. Devotees of the group's positively charged, infectious sound will find plenty to dig into here, from the bounce-along punk-pop of "You Wouldn't Believe" to the brawnier thump of the anthemic "You Get Worked." Nick Hexum is still in the habit of beseeching listeners to play nice, which can come across as either genuinely meaningful (as on "Wake Your Mind Up," a rap-rock ditty featuring members of Black Eyed Peas and Pharcyde) or merely overwrought ("I'll Be Here Awhile"). Even so, it's refreshing to hear a band willing and able to match pedal-to-the-metal sonics with lyrical missives even a mom could love. One of the candidates for feel-good album of the summer. David Sprague

All Music Guide

Upon 311's vigorous return, vocalist S.A. Martinez declares, "I'm on a new high with a pen and a pad, and for fun I attend a jam that's super bad." While the members of the Omaha-bred quintet aren't lyrical rocket scientists, these disciples of positivity have nonetheless re-emerged "on a new high" with "a jam that's super bad." From Chaos astonishes and impresses with considerable energy and focus, proving itself as the album 311 has always been capable of making. With Tim Mahoney's razor-edged riffing and Nick Hexum and Martinez's super-charged vocals, their Volcano label debut rocks harder and rides smoother than each preceding effort. Amidst their signature hip-hop/heavy rock/reggae hybrid, 311 additionally blends surf guitar over jungle beats, merges punk guitar with dancehall, and introduces ska, à la Hexum's autobiographical "I'll Be Here Awhile," to their sonic repertoire. Tracks such as the carpe diem-inspired "Wake Your Mind Up" and the boastful "Sick Tight" prove the quintet hasn't forsaken their old-school formula, while the amorous "Amber," perhaps their most charming composition, exhibits a melodic versatility and musical ambition unlike many of their pigeonholed contemporaries. Under the technical lead of veteran producer and engineer Ron Saint Germain (aka Saint), From Chaos effectively "captures the energy of the live shows," per bassist P-Nut, and despite the band's growing musical complexity, each selection remains a perfect candidate for the well-traveled road ahead. Drummer Chad Sexton affirms "it's our best-performed record," and despite the album's semi-ironic title, he couldn't be more right. Moreover, this enhanced CD provides entertaining eye candy, which offers bandmember interviews, studio photos, and trailers from both Enlarged to Show Detail videos. Whether employing the computer or stereo for amusement, From Chaos is the sonic cornerstone for remarkably original rap-metal. ~ Jacob N. Lunders, All Music Guide