Through the Eyes is the first major label studio album by the American nu metal band Flaw.

Described as nu metal, Through the Eyes has melodic vocals, aggressive guitar riffs, screaming, melodic instrumentation and lyrics drawn from the childhood and adolescence of vocalist Chris Volz, who dealt with his adoptive mother's suicide, rebellious behavior and a formerly troubled relationship with his father.

[2][3] Volz began to embrace aggressive rock music and rebel against authority figures, including his teachers and his father, Joe.

The court ruled that Volz was not a candidate for rehab and Joe was ordered by the police to take him back, which embittered him toward his son.

In 2000, Flaw played at CBGB in New York City, when they were noticed by Republic and Universal Records executives and signed a deal with the labels.

[5] Described as nu metal,[2][6][7][8][9] Through the Eyes includes singing,[10] screaming,[10][6] aggressive guitar riffs and melodic instrumentation.

The album has been compared to the music of Disturbed,[6] Tool,[15][6] Linkin Park,[8] Factory 81,[9] A Perfect Circle[9] and Saliva.

I mean, we touch on a lot of different areas from a really straight-forward heavy metal sound to all kinds of different layers and textures.

Through the Eyes' lyrics are drawn from vocalist Chris Volz's life, including his childhood;[2][3][5] "Whole" is about the suicide of his adoptive mother.

[2] According to Jon Wiederhorn of MTV, "Inner Strength", "Get Up Again" and "Reliance" are about trauma and frustration:[2] "If art could accurately imitate life's many nuances, Flaw's Through the Eyes would be one of the most powerful, traumatizing nü-metal records ever".

[28] ThePRP gave Through the Eyes 3.5 out of 5, and said that the album "is a strong showing from a band who have a lot to offer".

[27] AntiGUY of AntiMUSIC gave Through the Eyes four smiley faces and wrote that the album "is the perfect counter argument [sic] to those who would casually dismiss the nu metal genre as only simplistic drop tuned guitars pounding out unremitting powerchords and primal screaming vocals".

[9] According to Brian O'Neill of AllMusic, "A few catchy tracks – such as the lead single, "Payback," and the eerie "My Letter" – are surrounded by filler that fails to stick".

Volz elaborates: "The cover of our album is a 12-year-old little boy who doesn't look like he's in pain, but it looks like he's got a world of things he wants to say, but his mouth is zippered shut.