By the early 21st century, nu metal was the reigning champion of the guitar-driven genres in the mainstream, combining punchy riffs with catchy hooks and experimental influences from movements like hip-hop, funk, and industrial music.
The style’s accessible melodies, charismatic frontmen, and emotionally vulnerable lyricism drew in crowds like never before in metal. Still, its lack of flashy solos and disregard for old-school classics made it a divisive topic among heavy music fans.
Among the nu metal flagship acts sat comfortably Lim Bizkit , who took on the world by storm and revolutionized the decade’s pop culture thanks to the massive hits in 1999’s “Significant Other” and 2000’s “Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water”.
However, by the mid-’00s, the band was going through a bit of a creative drought, which they tried to offset with the release of the experimental EP “The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1)”, taking them into new, darker directions.
As the record celebrates its 20th anniversary, we look back at this weirdly underground era of the band, and how it (almost) shaped Limp Bizkit’s future in the scene.
Somehow, Wes Borland Returned
In the aftermath of the hugely popular but widely panned “Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water”, Limp Bizkit became arguably the hottest band in the world (only tied for the title with nu metal peers Linkin Park ).
However, guitarist Wes Borland was feeling creatively unfulfilled with the band’s musical direction, leading to his departure in late 2001 to explore other projects.
While Wes broadened his musical horizons with the short-lived and bizarrely prog Eat the Day, as well as laying the foundation for the industrial-flavored Black Light Burns,Limp Bizkit recruited Snot ‘s Mike Smith as a replacement.
The group’s effort with the guitarist, 2003’s “Results May Vary”, was widely panned, with Borland’s absence being noted in the absence of catchy guitar work; while the record eventually made its way to a Platinum certification, it didn’t meet commercial expectations.
In August 2004, Smith left the fold after falling out with frontman Fred Durst, and Wes was welcomed back with open arms by fans, who anticipated Limp Bizkit’s return to form.
Darker, Heavier, and a New Source of Conflict
With Borland back in the fold, Limp Bizkit prepared a new experimental leap with their new record, which would see the band departing from their signature style and goofy lyricism into darker, heavier territory.
Influenced byRage Against The Machine’s socially-charged themes, Durst would leave his typical fratboy attitude to focus on topics like terrorism, media propaganda, and sexual abuse at the hands of the Catholic church.
Musically, Limp Bizkit would also go in a heavier direction, with industrial music shaping the overall direction of the EP, while familiar elements of hip-hop and funk blend in with the band’s alt-metal leanings throughout the record.
Meanwhile, due to John Otto’s absence during recording sessions, drumming duties would be handled by hardcore punk veteran Sammy Siegler.
And so, “The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1)” was released in May 2005 without any prior announcement or advertisement, a decision Durst insisted upon. This led to a tension point with the newly returned Borland, who disagreed and thought this would greatly diminish the record’s impact, calling it “self-sabotage”.
With a little over 400,000 copies sold worldwide, the EP became Limp Bizkit’s biggest commercial disappointment, ultimately proving the guitarist right.
Limp Against the Machine
Although it did better with critics than “Results May Vary”, “The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1)” was met with mixed reviews and confusion from fans.
Limp Bizkit’s decision to experiment with their sound in a darker direction was widely praised, as was Borland’s return, and with him, inventive guitar work that lend an almost progressive edge to the band’s nu metal grooves.
The menacing chugs of opener ” The Propaganda”, the creative riffage in ” The Truth”, and the catchy dynamics in ” The Story” show Wes firing on all cylinders, backed by the always reliable basslines of Sam Rivers and the crushing rhythms of Otto and Siegler.
Experimental moments like the funky hip-hop-driven “The Key” and the ambient closer ” The Surrender” give the spotlight to DJ Lethal, and show Limp Bizkit’s ambitious songwriting going well beyond typical nu metal antics.
The problem, however, is the usual weak spot in the line-up, and that is Fred Durst’s lyricism; never known for being a versatile singer, the frontman used his undeniable charisma in past records to drop rhymes that were effective and catchy, albeit often without much substance.
But here, it’s hard to take him seriously when serious topics explored in songs like ” The Priest” and ” The channel” are brought down by lyrics that are at best generic and at worst, simply goofy.
Now seen as a return to form after “Results May Vary”, “The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1)” showed Limp Bizkit’s desire to experiment past their genre’s confinements, and widely succeeding musically, even if they were weighed down by Durst’s lack of vocal versatility and uninspired lyrics.
Nu Metal Turns Serious
After the EP’s modest commercial performance, Limp Bizkit were pushed to release a compilation, 2005’s “Greatest Hitz”, which ended up being the band’s final release before they broke up in 2006, triggered by Borland and Durst’s multiple disagreements.
Reuniting in 2009, the band went back to their light-hearted, catchy nu metal signature style with the lukewarm “Gold Cobra” in 2011, continuing on that path in the 2021 follow-up “Still Sucks”, but now more self-aware and ready to poke fun at themselves.
Steadily on the path toward legacy band status, Limp Bizkit seem to be comfortable in their skin, losing their will to experiment sonically since “The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1)”.
At the time, nu metal was starting to enter its decline, and the EP marked the trend for most bands in the genre to suddenly turn into a serious group that explored dark themes and was more musically adventurous.
However, the movement lost steam regardless, and while some bands like Linkin Park and Deftones managed to reinvent themselves, most acts realized their strengths lay in catchy, no-frills nu metal goodness.
That being said, it’s hard not to wonder what would’ve happened if Limp Bizkit stayed on this path, since musically they had the power for it, but a more versatile frontman was sorely needed.
The group had previously shown interest in releasing a part 2 to the 2005 EP, but this seems more unlikely with each passing year. For now, we’re left with a monument to nu metal’s painful transition period in a record that was ambitious but flawed, and a symptom of a genre in decline.
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