Overall Grade:  3.60 (out of 5.0)

The Southern rockers are back! Saliva's Blood Stained Love Story is a little bit like the Saliva of the old, but a lot different as well. I am curious to know how the general public will receive this album. The band's first single from the album "Ladies And Gentlemen" is one of the best new songs on the airwaves – an in your face anthem that is hard not to love. "Black Sheep" also follows in that traditional "in your face" Saliva sound. Then the band has its ballads on the album such as "Starting Over" and "Here With You". Lyrically, the song "Starting Over" might be one of the best the band has ever done. "Broken Sunday" is yet another personal favorite.

The only complaints I have about the album is that it only has 10 tracks. I'm fine with bands with their first album or a new band putting out an album with 10 tracks, but after that band's shouldn't be doing 10 track LPs. Here is the thing though: if you go to Best Buy to buy the album, you get a second CD for free with 2 bonus album tracks – and those tracks are good! The only track I don't really like – maybe because to me it doesn't sound like Saliva – is the pop song "Twister".

All in all, this album is great. Easily one of the great albums of early 2007. The sophomore album Back Into Your System is still the band's strongest, but, Blood Stained Love Story is right up there. Like I said earlier, It will be interested to see the general public's reaction and longtime Saliva fans' reactions to this album just because it is different for the band in many aspects. I really do think the band shows a different side – a great side – and hit a homerun with the record.