They say that the cockroach is one of the only living beings that would survive if there were a nuclear war, and when judging by Papa Roach's career path, that testament rings true in the rock and roll world as well. The band infested the minds of listeners across the globe with a song of suicide and soon settled into a niche discussing divorce with teens in suburbs everywhere. This success soon evaporated, as they found their own world crashing down around them when a much-hyped sophomore feat became a tragic dud commercially and their label was dissolved, then absorbed into another in the ongoing industry wars. Such disasters would shake weaker bands, but somehow Papa Roach have survived such destruction. The group recognize that they are one of very, very few rock acts to make it out alive from such disastrous events, and as such they have seemingly realized there comes a time to broaden their horizons and that time is now. "Getting Away With Murder" reveals their latest foray into hard rock, as Papa Roach continue to grow and shed their skin.

The album is built in a very curious manner. It opens with the traditional Papa Roach, but as it progresses one begins to see the band strip layers off from their persona and slowly evolve from a likeable cast-off from the fading rapcore trend to a more focused (and surely more cynical) melodic rock firecracker just seconds from exploding in a fiery blaze of glory. The bands past stylings seem to culminate with the title track, a Helmet-esque rocker that is bursting with angsty hard rock hooks. Yet from here the band decide to fulfill their own desires. "Be Free" wishes to be a barroom brawl of bawdy rock guitars and anthemic call-and-response vocals; "Scars" is probably as close to a ballad as Papa Roach will ever attempt, as it strips away the bravado and unveils a softer side for the group, complete with flowery vocals. "Sometimes" continues with the more affected, exposed Papa Roach as they have dared to take a route similar to that which Hoobastank recently did, albeit they do so while retaining full testicular control. The album does revert back to more aggressive territory as it wraps up, churning out a handful of testosterone-fueled ragers that should help remove any sort of sour taste listeners had from earlier surprises. It also leaves one with a clear impression that while they may be maturing, Papa Roach are still a creation of the Ritalin generation.

The band have moved away from their rapcore past with as much graceful dignity as possible considering the reputation that has preceded them, and "Getting Away With Murder" certainly cements their feet in a more dynamic rock direction. The hesitation and cautious experimentation that failed on "Lovehatetragedy" has been replaced by confidence and a willingness to take risks in order to establish a career that will last longer than the latest fad. The soft rock dalliances may be off-putting but such choices are necessary if the band ever want to step out of the "teenage angst" shadow and become a lasting force on the modern rock circuit; plus the band don't completely bend over in the process like so many others have. Jacoby Shaddix also seems to have finally found his comfort level as a vocalist, and while he may never win awards for most talented rock frontman, his insistence to concentrate on a more melodious vocal styling and reduce his strained screams is a definite step in the right direction. "Getting Away With Murder" is not an outstanding effort, as it is often uneven and the band are plagued by some atrociously cliched writing (for example-"does anyone around me feel the same? put your fist up and vent your pain.") Yet it does show the group can take a critical hit as they did with the resounding failure of "Lovehatetragedy" and rebound with little damage shown. If nothing else, this is an effort that proves that Papa Roach are one bug that won't be killed off so easily, as they appear to have their minds set on murdering the airwaves for some time to come, body count or not.