Season 1 of Sonic Subcultures looks at 9 records that represent the range of musical styles that fall under the nu metal banner. Each record represents an aspect of nu metal that has surprising relevance today as nu metal has become a strangely resurgent genre. How is nu metal back? Why? To find some answers, Safa Hachi and Marc Lajeunesse look back at each record from our unique perspectives: Marc was there when nu metal began but Safa got into it twenty years later. We do a deep dive on each record, consider their form, lyrics, and impact when they were released, and piece together what each record means now in the present day.
Season 1 of Sonic Subcultures looks at 9 records that represent the range of musical styles that fall under the nu metal banner. Each record represents an aspect of nu metal that has surprising relevance today as nu metal has become a strangely resurgent genre. How is nu metal back? Why? To find some answers, Safa Hachi and Marc Lajeunesse look back at each record from our unique perspectives: Marc was there when nu metal began but Safa got into it twenty years later. We do a deep dive on each record, consider their form, lyrics, and impact when they were released, and piece together what each record means now in the present day.
When Staind’s Break the cycle dropped in 2001, it was a massive nu metal success, topping the Billboard charts and producing anthems of frustration and self-loathing. But in 2025, Staind’s cultural legacy feels different, especially with frontman Aaron Lewis now making headlines as a conservative country artist.
In this episode, Marc Lajeunesse and Safa Hachi break down the album’s themes, Staind’s place in nu metal history as well as why Gen Z isn’t embracing the band’s legacy like they have for Limp Bizkit and Rob Zombie. From its emotional weight to its ideological contradictions, we explore whether Break the Cycle was always leading to this moment.