Through the Eyes

Many lyrics on Through the Eyes are drawn from Chris Volz' difficult childhood.[1] When he was 11 or 12 years old, his adoptive mother committed suicide.[1][2] Volz began to embrace aggressive rock music and rebel against authority figures, including his teachers and his father, Joe. Joe sent Chris to military school, but Chris ran away. Joe then sent his son to several youth detention centers and, when Chris was 14, to a long-term drug rehabilitation center. Young Volz ran away from the center, and was picked up by police and placed in another juvenile detention center. The court ruled that Volz was not a candidate for rehab and Joe was ordered by the police to take him back, which embittered him toward his son.[1] As Volz grew older, his relationship with Joe improved and his father was the best man at his wedding.[3]

Flaw formed in 1996, when guitarist Jason Daunt placed an advertisement for another guitarist and Volz answered. They then recorded their first independent record, American Arrogance. In 2000, Flaw played at CBGB in New York City, when they were noticed by Republic and Universal Records executives and signed a deal with the labels. With producer David Bottrill, they recorded at Sound City in Los Angeles in early 2001.[4]

Described as nu metal,[1][5][6] Through the Eyes includes singing,[7] screaming,[7][5] aggressive guitar riffs and melodic instrumentation. "Get Up Again"[8] and "Reliance"[9] have an aggressive sound, and "My Letter"[10] and "Best I Am"[11] are softer. The album has been compared to the music of Disturbed[5] and Tool.[12][5]

Through the Eyes' lyrics are drawn from vocalist Chris Volz's life, including his childhood;[1][2][4] "Whole" is about the suicide of his adoptive mother.[1][2][4] Volz said about the song, "Everything in that song touches from sadness to anger to grief to blaming myself to confusion. I just really wanted to go as deep into it as I possibly could and still be able to come back. She was the one who got me into music. She was an operatic singer, and for me to go wholly into music has kept a part of her alive inside of me".[1]

According to Jon Wiederhorn of MTV, "Inner Strength", "Get Up Again" and "Reliance" are about trauma and frustration:[1] "If art could accurately imitate life's many nuances, Flaw's Through the Eyes would be one of the most powerful, traumatizing nü-metal records ever".[1] Volz said about the meaning of "Get Up Again", "It's about never letting one thing or one circumstance get the best of you and try to turn a negative around into something positive. So, whether it was because I was adopted or my mom's suicide when I was younger or having to take my dad to court so I could take charge of my life, that song kinda stands for dealing with life's problems and never feeling sorry for yourself and actually coming out on top".[2] He said that "Inner Strength" is about "finding your own road and really developing that 'inner strength' part of your personality";[13] "Only the Strong" is "really about realizing you have the power to feel about yourself the way you want and everyone else can fuck off. There are so many people that will try to bring you down, so instead of listening to what those people have to say, besides from family, friends, and loved ones. Just knowing that you are strong and that will help everyone survive".[14]

The album cover depicts a pensive-looking young boy with a zipped-shut mouth. Volz said that that was how he felt during most of his childhood.[1]

Adapted from AllMusic.[27]

• "Flaw's Metal Fueled By Singer's Tormented Upbringing". MTV.