All American Nightmare

All American Nightmare
Studio album by Hinder
Released December 7, 2010
Recorded Early 2010
Genre Hard rock, glam rock
Length 36:59
Label Universal Republic[1]
Producer Kevin Churko
Hinder chronology

Take It to the Limit
(2008)		 All American Nightmare
(2010)		 Welcome to the Freakshow
(2012)
Singles from All American Nightmare
  1. "All American Nightmare"
    Released: September 14, 2010
  2. "What Ya Gonna Do"
    Released: May 17, 2011
  3. "The Life"
    Released: October 11, 2011
  4. "Hey Ho"
    Released: 2011
  5. "Red Tail Lights"
    Released: January 29, 2012
[2]
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [3]
Mojo Radio (8.7/10)[4]
AHalfFast.com [4]

All American Nightmare is the third studio album by American rock band Hinder. Released on December 7, 2010 by Universal Republic Records, it is the band's successor to Take It to the Limit, which was released in 2008. All American Nightmare is significantly heavier in sound than either of the band's previous two records.[4]

Production

Hinder began recording the album in early 2010 with producer Kevin Churko. The band had originally selected Howard Benson to produce the album, but Churko was later hired for the role.[5] According to singer Austin Winkler, he and drummer Cody Hanson wrote around 60 songs for the album, of which 10 were recorded for the standard release, and an additional two which are on the deluxe version of the album. The writing process was different from what the band had done in the past; Winkler said that "We normally do whatever the label wants. But for this record, we had to do something different. We had to mix it up a little bit."[6]

The album was recorded in two parts; all music was recorded at Hanson's personal studio, while vocals, performed by Winkler, were recorded at his studio in Las Vegas.[6]

Winkler said that he was pleased with the album, saying that "I'm ecstatic about the album...I've never been more proud of a record than I have with this one."[6]

“I kinda went at it with the approach that I am a little hungrier, and took a more personal approach,” Winkler told Alternative Addiction in a 2010 interview. “We went a little darker and a little heavier with this record, it’s a little more real.”.

Songs

Winkler said that the band had intentionally modified the sound of the music on the album, intending for it to sound like "Southern rock with a twist, but still heavy."[7] He said further that many of the songs on the album are dissimilar to one another, with "some unique songs on there."[7] According to a writer from Youngstown, Ohio's The Vindicator, the songs ranged from "the rocking title track, the album’s lead single, as well as the popish 'Hey Ho' and the ballad 'What Ya Gonna Do.'"[7]

In addition to Winkler and Hanson, the band asked other musicians to be involved with the writing of several songs.[8] Winkler said that "We went around and wrote with anybody we could think of, just to see what would happen and to get a different vibe. We knew we needed a different flavor and some different influences in there."[8]

The song "Waking Up the Devil" was released on the Saw 3D soundtrack in October 2010.[9]

Release

While early reports said only that the album was to come out in the second half of 2010,[5] and it was subsequently scheduled to be released on December 14,[10] the album was then released on December 7.[1]

The first single, the title track of the album, was released on September 14, 2010[11] and made available for digital download on October 5.[10]

The band released music videos for two songs, "All American Nightmare" and "What Ya Gonna Do."[12][13]

The album's cover art was released on November 3, 2010,[14] featuring model Jesse Lee Denning on the cover, who also performed in the music video for "All American Nightmare."[15] Jesse Lee Denning is a tattoo/fashion model and is dating Brian Deneeve (song-writer and former guitarist for "From Autumn to Ashes"). The band has been quoted as jokingly saying that all anyone talks about is Jesse Lee as opposed to their songs.

It was announced on October 10, 2011 that "The Life" would be released as the album's third single.

Track listing

All songs written by Austin Winkler, Cody Hanson and The Warren Brothers, except where noted.

The following is the track listing for All American Nightmare:[1][16][17]

No. Title Length
1. "2 Sides of Me"   3:26
2. "All American Nightmare" (Winkler, Hanson, Warren bros., Kevin Churko, Marshal Dutton) 3:18
3. "What Ya Gonna Do"   4:08
4. "Hey Ho" (Winkler, Hanson, Warren bros., Churko, Dutton) 3:37
5. "The Life"   3:39
6. "Waking Up the Devil"   4:14
7. "Red Tail Lights" (Winkler, Hanson, Jeffrey Steele) 3:49
8. "Striptease"   3:30
9. "Everybody's Wrong"   3:42
10. "Put That Record On"   3:39
Total length:
 36:59

Deluxe Edition

No. Title Length
11. "Good Life"   3:35
12. "Bad Mutha Fucka"   3:35
13. "Put That Record On" (demo version) 3:43
14. "What Ya Gonna Do" (demo version) 4:14
15. "2 Sides of Me" (demo version - iTunes exclusive) 3:16
16. "All American Nightmare" (music video) 4:04

Reception

Initial reactions to the album were mixed; a reviewer for Allmusic called the album "resolutely a re-creation of rock & roll past," and gave it a rating of one and a half stars out of five.[18] In a favorable review, Hard Rock Haven said the album "stands out" among other modern rock albums, and gave it an eight out of ten rating.[19]

Personnel

Sales

The album sold 35,000 copies during its first week on sale in the United States, and debuted on the Billboard 200 chart at number 37.[20]

Chart positions

Chart (2010) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard 200 37
U.S. Billboard Alternative Albums 1
U.S. Billboard Digital Albums 10
U.S. Billboard Hard Rock Albums 2
U.S. Billboard Top Rock Albums 3

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "HINDER To Release 'All American Nightmare' In December". Blabbermouth.net. 3 November 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  2. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=10150361473310489&set=pu.41532430488&type=1&theater
  3. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Review: The All American Nightmare". All Music Guide. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Rose, Rustyn. "Review: Live in Philly 2010". Mojo Radio. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Hinder Halfway Through Recording New Album". Rockstar Weekly. Archived from the original on 28 July 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2010.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Hinder's Austin Winkler talks "The All-American Nightmare"". SoundSpike. 7 September 2010. Archived from the original on 9 September 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2010.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Hinder still living dream with ‘American Nightmare’". The Vindicator (Youngstown, Ohio). 2 September 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2010.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Hinder still upping the game: Oklahoma band still rockin', partyin' hard". Michigan Live. 18 November 2010. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
  9. ↑ "NEW SONGS FROM SAVING ABEL, HINDER, OTHERS LEAD 'SAW 3D' SOUNDTRACK". WMMR.com. 1 October 2010. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Hinder’s ‘All American Nightmare’ Due In December". TuneLab. 22 September 2010. Archived from the original on 15 November 2010. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  11. ↑ "All American Nightmare by Hinder, Music Lyrics and Video". Music Lover's Group. Archived from the original on 11 October 2010. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
  12. ↑ "Hinder's Nightmare Video". Anti Music. 15 November 2010. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
  13. ↑ "Hinder Pay Homage To Classic Rock and Metal Legends (Top Story)". Anti Music. 20 November 2010. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
  14. ↑ "Hinder's 'All American Nightmare' Cover Art Revealed". Noisecreep.com. 3 November 2010. Archived from the original on 9 November 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  15. ↑ "Hinder brings party to Rock Girl pageant". Metromix. 24 November 2010. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
  16. ↑ "All American Nightmare [+digital booklet]". Amazon.com. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
  17. ↑ "All American Nightmare (Deluxe Edition) [Enhanced]". Amazon.com. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
  18. ↑ "Review". Allmusic. Archived from the original on 9 December 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
  19. ↑ "Hinder All American Nightmare". Hard Rock Haven. 6 December 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
  20. ↑ "HINDER's 'All American Nightmare' Cracks U.S. Top 40 - Dec. 15, 2010". Blabbermouth.net. 15 December 2010. Retrieved 17 December 2010.