The fourth studio release, For(n)ever, from alterna-rock outfit Hoobastank shows a band’s commercial success does not necessarily guarantee their album is worth a listen. Hailing from California, Hoobastank formed in 1994 while its members were still in high school. The band broke the scene in 2001 with “Crawling in the Dark” and scored a massive hit in 2004 with “The Reason.” For(n)ever was touted as the band’s return to their “rock roots,” but the album falls short — it is unimaginative, overworked and ends up sounding like an unfortunate hybrid of Fall Out Boy and Linkin Park.

The album’s first single, “My Turn,” is characterized by childish lyrics, strained vocals and muddled, grinding guitars — it’s almost painful to listen to. The next track, “I Don’t Think I Love You,” is pounding and repetitive. These songs are angst-filled but not at all genuine.

Many song titles and lyrics are clich?. For example, “So Close, So Far” is a boring attempt at a power ballad. For(n)ever seems to be almost entirely about relationships –perhaps the reason why just reading the track list is irritating.

“All About You” is a pathetic attempt at arena rock that ends up sounding like overworked pop punk. If vocalist Doug Robb would have stopped screaming, the album might have been salvageable.

For(n)ever improves slightly on tracks such as “The Letter,” where Robb plays acoustic guitar and sings, and the convoluted wall of sound is stripped down so listeners can actually hear that the band is playing instruments. “The Letter” is the best song on the album, and it sounds like the power ballads with which Hoobastank gained commercial success five years ago. “Tears of Yesterday” sounds similar and includes piano. Unfortunately, these two tracks are buried between so much distortion and artificial angst that it’s unlikely listeners will be impressed.

For(n)ever is almost entirely driven by lyrics, not by tune, but because those lyrics are so repetitive and unoriginal, it’s hard to take the album seriously.The angry “Who The Hell Am I?”, an anthem about self-discovery, tries so hard to rock but fails miserably. It sounds progressive at the outset but goes downhill as soon as Robb starts screaming.

Finally, Hoobastank closes the album with the ridiculously heavy, but not hard-rocking, “Gone Gone Gone.” The distortion on this track is distracting and even manages to overpower Robb’s vocals.

However, Hoobastank does not completely lack creativity; it just does not show through on this album. For their first single, “My Turn,” the band created an interactive music video. Viewers can create their own version of the band, replacing band members with characters including Santa Claus, a linebacker or an elderly woman, to name a few. Hundreds of possible combinations make this concept intriguing and amusing — if the sound is turned off.

In the end, For(n)ever just does not rock, at all. Rock should obviously be heavy, but it also requires genuine emotion and effort, two areas where Hoobastank is lacking. Nothing about this album suggests Hoobastank is sticking around For(n)ever, much less to record another album.

1/2 star out of 5.