When a much-respected/legendary/seminal band decides to make a "comeback" with a new album of original material, many years after its heyday, tis a rather, erm, "tricky" situation. On the one hand you've got the diehard fans who want "their" band, on the other lurk people ready to criticize said band of sounding dated and repeating itself. In such circumstances, it's often very, very hard to come out a winner. Sometimes though, it's dead easy. If you're Jane's Addiction, boasting a legacy of two absolute masterpieces, then, years later, you may find it quite impossible to impress anyone with an album like "Strays". If you're Alice in Chains - dark knights of heroin gloom who have made the ultimate sacrifice, then it would be much easier to win a sympathetic audience over and, with a good enough album bearing all the classic AIC trademarks, you could most definitely entice them. For the reformed Stone Temple Pilots and their "difficult" frontman Scott Weiland it looks like this one will be a walk in the park. Mainly because they've made a bloody good album. Not that they've done any turkeys up to now (although many would point to their multi-platinum debut "Core" as derivative, cliched and bandwagonesque). Seems like the most important ingredient and factor in all these "comebacks" is the energy - is it still there and if so, what's the level? Well, as far as this eponymous album is concerned, any doubts are shot dead within the first five seconds of opening track "Between the Lines" which sounds like a mad raging bull, dying to be let loose out on the rodeo. This is followed by the epic-melodic "Take a Load Off" as confirmation of the fact that here we have a band, ready willing and able to kick our smug arses just as hard as they did back in the 90s, if not harder. The big question mark over the Stone Temple Pilots has always concerned Weiland - ne of the few remaining iconic frontmen in rock'n'roll. Will he make it through a whole tour with the band or go loopy and get himself locked up? Will he come to the next rehearsal? Will he suddenly disappear? One thing's certain though - when Scott's around and ready to rock, he is indispensable, awe-inspiring and unique. And the DeLeo brothers do know how to get the best out of him. This album seems to encompass all that has gone on until now in the great STP soundscape adventure. "In the past, we'd make a rock record, then branch out and make an art record and then go back to making a rock record," said Weiland recently. Well, this one has both and in perfect harmony too.