/// MISSION BRIEFING

If Nirvana's Nevermind heralded alternative's ascendancy into the mainstream, Creed's mega-successful 1997 debut showed just how quickly--and craftily--alt.rock's musical hallmarks could be utterly co-opted by it. Fueled by vocalist Scott Stapp's Weiland-inspired growl, Creed rode the Seattle pop-suffused string of hits included here to become one of the 90's most successful rock acts--if one whose level of critical revile nearly matched its multi-million sales. This CD/DVD combo features 13 of the band's signature performances (including all eight of its number one singles), songs that often turn on a Christianity-inspired message that could be as opaque (the anthemic "Higher") as it was overt ("My Own Prison," "What's This Life For"). The accompanying DVD completes the career retrospective, anthologizing nine of the band's videos along with previously unreleased live performances of "Torn," "Higher" and "Weathered." --Jerry McCulley