I saw 8stops7 a loooong tiime ago in a little bar called Nicholby's in Ventura, CA. They were brand new and had there first independent CD called "Birth of a Cynic" available. I usually do not buy CDs at bars, but after watching them play, I immediately bought one and had the boys sign it.
Shortly after that, they were signed and were able to create "In Moderation" which is simply some of the best alt music out there. It has been able to saty a favorite of mine for many years now without any hype from the music industry.
Their newest CD "Bend" is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G and it is quite a surprise because, again, Bend is an independent production.

Evan Sula-Goff is like Hercules, being hidden in the cave while he grows up. His god-like voice has been stymied by the swill and noise that the music industry pumps into our ears on heavy rotation.

Get this CD. Open you perimeters.

To start out, I agree with another review on here: this CD came out in 1999 and not many people know about this band. That's true. The reason for this though is that the band do not have anything special. Nothing that makes them stand out. I borrowed this CD from a friend because I was skeptical after listening to the first track (Satisfied) and wanted to check them out before I went any further. I am so happy I took this approach, because I found that they were a sub-par band. I love good alternative rock, so don't think that this is a bias. I love Creed and 10 Years, and also really enjoy Breaking Benjamin and Three Days Grace, so it's not that this was alternative rock that through me off. One of the biggest things in my opinion is the lead singer's voice. He is not a good rock singer at all. He is trying to sound like Eddie Vedder, and the result is pitiful. His natural voice obviously sounds much different, and he's trying to put that aside and be Eddie Vedder. Here's the tracklist:

1. Satisfied - (2/5) - This song was the first one I heard by this band. I had heard it somewhere before, and so I decided to check out the rest of the band. The song is not awful, but it is nothing special. I think it is like many alternative rock songs out there nowadays: it just falls flat. Not very good lyrics and extremely generic music.
2. Not Alive - (1/5) - Awful song. This might have been the worst on the album. This is less than generically bad, it is just below all standards that even generic artists like these should seek. Bad lyrics, bad music, and just overall, a horrible song.
3. Question - (2/5) - Reminded me a lot of Nickelback's "Photograph" (another awful, generic song). The problem with this is just that it is so generic. The lyrics in this one are not awful, I just can't really feel the emotion he is trying to get me to feel. It's not powerful enough. Mainly just extremely generic, and he messes up his voice at times to try to sound more like Eddie Vedder.
4. Regression - (2/5) - The verses were good buildup verses. I was hoping this would be a good one when I first heard it, but it's not. The reason it falls short are, again, the lyrics. Also though, like I said, the verses are good buildups. They build up to a chorus that should blow you away. If this had that sweeping chorus, it would be a great song musically with sub-par lyrics, which is at least something. It lacks that chorus though.
5. Good Enough - (3/5) - A little better than the last ones. This is a quieter song. He seems to have trouble singing quietly at first, but he gets the hang of it. The lyrics in this one aren't bad. Somewhat generic for a soft alternative rock song. The chorus is it's weakest part though, lyrically and musically.
6. Better - (1/5) - After a small step up in the last song, all the progress they had made was lost in this song. There is nothing appealing about this song. Not the lyrics, the music, or the voice. Just a bad song.
7. Uninspired - (2/5) - Better than the last one, but not good. This song's title and message sum it up well. The lyricist was uninspired and had no idea what to write about. This is the definition of filler. Just a generic song to take up space.
8. Esteem - (4/5) - This song surprised me. I didn't think I would find anything on this album by this point, but this song was actually good. He actually hits the Eddie Vedder sound, and his bandmates join him in this endeavor. It sounds like a Pearl Jam song. It is actually really good. A little softer, but actual good lyrics and, I hate to say it, but some great music! If they stuck by this pattern, they would have created a great album.
9. Wider - (1/5) - This was the other song that could compete for the worst song on the album. He is just whining, and even going offkey while singing. It sounds awful. Nothing appealing about it. Awful singing in this one. Everything he accomplished from "Esteem" was ruined here.
10. My Would-Be Saviour - (1/5) - Not much to say about this song. It sounded like every other bad song on the album and for the same reasons. If this was closer to the front of the album, I may have been more generous and given it an actual review, but it sounds like everything else, and I'm sick of it by this point.
11. Forget - (3/5) - Another softer one, which seems to be when they're most passionate and have decent lyrics. Not particularly good, but not bad. It goes on a little too long, but this one is tolerable.
12. Hidden Track - (3/5) - Yes, this is on the end of "Forget", and it is also not that bad. They are actually creative on this track. Not a bad ending.
Overall, the album is awful. Not worth it. "Esteem" is a good song, but besides that one, there is not much to look out for on this album. Just get that one song. With all this negativity thrown in there, I will end it on a positive note: one of the guitarists is not all that bad. So there is some talent in this band. I think he needs to find a new band. Thanks for reading!

A very good CD, I really like their style and would love to hear more of them. Keep up the good work, boys.

Here's to all you retarted reviewers out there (not literally) that reviewed this and other titles after one listen: you suck, you're garbage. Now, to the real deal...

This is a semi-antichritian, hate-and-love throwdown. They can also sing like the gods they most likely don't worship. This band has it all, but it may not fit together properly--sort of like the situation with Audioslave where they are close to awesome and they could be there if they would just lean in the right direction rather than stumble down the other path. That kinda stuff is not enough to ruin this cd, in fact, it is still nearly awesome. And if you sing along to the dark-but-sweet lyrics, maybe you won't even notice how it sounds like Edwin McCain singing for the Toadies (can you imagine the "I'll Be" guy singing the Toadies' "Possum Kingdom": that's like what this is). Anyway, the parts are great so the combination is still good.

8Stops7 made an awesome album in their CD, "Moderation." It isn't filled with just a few good singles, but the whole CD is filled with excellent songs. The lyrics are great in their songs, and their is always a great expression of energy and emotion in each work. This is one of the best CD's that I've ever listened to and I highly recommend that you sit and listen to it for a little while, you wont regret it (if you're any sort of fan of alt. rock)!