| Weathered | ||||
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| Released | November 20, 2001 | |||
| Recorded | July–August 2001 | |||
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| Length | 50:05 | |||
| Label | Wind-up | |||
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Weathered is the third studio album by American rock band Creed, released on November 20, 2001. It was the last Creed album to be released until Full Circle came out in October 2009, with Creed disbanding in June 2004. It is the only Creed album to be recorded as a three-member band, as bassist Brian Marshall departed in August 2000. Vocalist Scott Stapp and guitarist Mark Tremonti wrote most of the material for the album during a three-week period in late 2000, following their successful tour to support their second album, Human Clay. Manager Jeff Hanson once again paired the band with longtime producer John Kurzweg, who rented out a private residence/recording studio in Ocoee, Florida owned by Jay Stanley, where the band would set up their studio inside to record the album. Recording sessions for the album began in July 2001, with Tremonti taking on bass guitar duties in Marshall's absence, and would last four months to complete.
Stapp described the album as "two records in one" and "a very extreme record", as it features some of Creed's heaviest and most aggressive songs, experimental tracks, as well as many of the band's most popular ballads. The lyrics on Weathered tackle familiar topics often addressed by the band including Christianity and faith, discrimination and unity, depression, loneliness, friendship, as well more current and personal issues such as criticism and persecution of the band by their critics and the press, substance abuse, dealing with the pressures that came with the band's popularity and living a rock star lifestyle, feelings of invisibility and insignificance, and Stapp's deteriorating physical and mental health which would continue to worsen throughout their hectic tour in support of the album.
The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, the band's second consecutive studio album to top the chart, and remained at the top spot for eight consecutive weeks, the longest consecutive run since The Beatles's greatest hits album 1 (2000) the year prior. Weathered also spawned six singles, including two top 10 Billboard Hot 100 singles: "One Last Breath", which peaked at number 6, and "My Sacrifice", which peaked at number 4. It has since been certified 6× platinum by the RIAA for sales of over 6 million units in the US alone. Weathered received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising the band for their nuance, refined sound and unapologetic emotion, while others criticized the album for its lack of creativity and for being far too serious and pretentious.