January 23, 2002 — With April marking the two-year anniversary since the release of Papa Roach's triple-platinum debut Infest, the band is gearing up for the release of lovehatetragedy, June 25. After spending much of December in a Los Angeles studio with producer Brendan O'Brien (Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, Rage Against The Machine), Papa Roach -- vocalist Jacoby Shaddix (nickname Coby Dick, he's decided to go by his real name, Jacoby, this time around), guitarist Jerry Horton, bassist Tobin Esperance and drummer David Buckner -- are heading to Atlanta in February to finish mixing.

"He's the right guy for us right now," Jacoby said recently of producer Brendan O'Brien. "He's big and rocking, and that's where we are taking this next record, to a rock edge."

Initial song titles include "Explosive Energy Movement," "Time and Time Again," "Heart of Darkness," "Sid," "Black Clouds," "Code of Energy," "She Loves Me Not" and "Things Get Worse." Most of the songs came together last summer when the band toured with Ozzfest. They deal with the consequences and effects of touring and being in a rock band as well as the havoc it wreaks on relationships with girlfriends, wives, family members and tensions within the group itself.

"We wrote a song called 'Decompression Period,'" said Jacoby. "There was a point in time where we almost broke up. We went through two bottles of vodka a night. We were just not happy as people. We came home, and I needed some space to clear my head and think about what I was going through... The relationship with our band has gotten stronger singing a song like that... We fought a lot recording the last album. With this one, we're excited about it, and it's flowing naturally." "I'm not going to lie, there's pressure," Tobin added. "Of course, we want other people to accept it and like it. But as long as we're happy with it, that's all that really matters. And we have a record that rocks."

With plans to finish lovehatetragedy by March, Papa Roach are scheduled to perform at a festival in Caracas, Venezuela on March 14. A series of intimate club gigs are planned for May just prior to the group's launch of a large-scale U.S. tour.

In other news, Papa Roach will release an as-yet-untitled DVD in April which chronicles the events of the Infest years.