The band as a whole has a very similar feel to A Perfect Circle. Lyrically, musically, and especially vocally, these two bands are quite similar. Whether this is a good or bad thing depends on who you ask. The music itself is quality music, but is it too much of a carbon copy band to be enjoyed? The success of Cold (But I'm Still Here) screams no. Then again, this is one of the tracks where the similarities are less apparent.
On tracks like Stop And Say You Love Me and , these similarities are quite obvious, and it can bring the songs down a little bit. Again, it's not to say that the songs are not good. On the contrary, they're a quite enjoyable mix in the alt/rock/metal realm. The lyrics seem to have real emotion, and they're sung that way. But it still leaves the question on whether this stuff is actually original.
However, tracks like Beg, Quote, and do show off a more "original" side. These songs give this disc a nice touch that allow listeners to not feel like they're hearing the same song all the way through this disc. As always, this is definitely a plus.
And, for the Sarah McLachlan fan out there, listeners also get Evans Blue's take on McLachlan's track, Possession. And, though it is a cover, it actually becomes one of the top tracks on the disc. The addition of Tara MacLean to provide a female vocal on the track really helps take this track above and beyond the others on the disc, just a little bit. It's a very simple addition to an already solid track, but it just gives it a little extra something.
Overall, The Melody And The Energetic Nature Of Volume is a solid release. The similarities to A Perfect Circle's music could be a problem for some, but the disc really does work quite well. A Sarah McLachlan cover can often be the demise of a CD, because so often it will be done poorly. However, the addition of Possession to this disc actually allows it to move up to a better level (And the original songs aren't too bad either!).