Tool "Opiate²" (2022)

Tool had brilliance from the outset. Initially I was slow to understand this band. The title track from their debut EP, Opiate, did not rock my quite as it does now. To commemorate the thirty years since its release Tool have re-recorded the classic track. Ditching its extended psychedelic jam session crying for Satan that followed the actual song, the group split it in half while fleshing out a beautiful interlude through the middle. An instrumental passageway through its middle. Deep, mesmerizing and alluring, the soothing transient experience serves this recreation wonderfully, lengthening it to a glorious, immersive ten minute experience.

This modern aesthetic is stunning in retroactive comparison. The original recording sounds dated and clunky. The bass is overpowering and meaty, which hides a lot of the textural charm Tool conjure. This release illuminates their artistic vision, rejuvenating what they had as a band from the outset. Even switching back and forth between the two, this newer recording oozes the songs soul with ease. Although its made me appreciate the original more, its obvious they didn't have the production aesthetics to really express their music early on. Sadly this is a one of, I think its unlikely this single will lead to anything else for now.

Rating: 3/10

Korn "Requiem" (2022)

 

Approaching thirty years since their formation, the Bakersfield band and Nu Metal pioneers Korn are far beyond the heyday of chart topping platinum records and MTV domination. Navigating a patchy period without guitarist Head, the recent resurgence of form, peaking with The Serenity Of Suffering, has been fun but ultimately struggles to have the impact of their early albums. With The Nothing I wasn't initially excited but then pleasantly surprised. It seems the same thing has happened again as Korn navigate a more toned down, slightly atmospheric take on their iconic sound. This time its without bassist Fieldy who has taken a creative hiatus from the group.

His lack of participation is noteable, that distinct low rumble and rattle of his string slapping technique, usually a hallmark, is missing. Its oddly fitting to where the music leans into mood, tone and aesthetic less on the bombastic side, which his crunchy baselines always helped reinforce. On Requim, Korn seem to of nostalgically reached into the past and plucked the subtler tones and accents of their style. Its reinvigorating them with songs that sway through through swells of distorted guitar melodies and dense resonance as the overall mood and texture becomes its persuasion.

Sure, each song has its meaty riffs and simple, syncopated Nu Metal riffs but they are rarely pushed to the forefront and often flexed back and forth with bustles of overdrive playing out further up the fret board. Ray Luzier suits this style so well as the kick snare grooves take less focus and he contributes to the tone with lots of cymbal grooves and timely drum fills. The theme of subtlety continues on with frontman Jonathan Davis ,who so atypically himself. Somehow he finds a performative presence that gels with his band mates as well as they ever have before.

Lyrically, it hinges on the expected themes of mental health, self loathing and metaphorical demons hes reiterates again with plain language. His vocabulary seems softly expanding this outing but its mostly what you'd expect. Its the performance that grabs me, he straddles a sweet melodic spot in his range and gives a lot of his sung chorus a humming melody to it. His screams and shouts don't dazzle quite the same and hearing some classic scatting again is a crowd pleaser for sure but nothing new.

I step away from Requiem now, after many spins, with a sense that this one will never be dull to pick up and enjoy again. At a shorter thirty two minutes its curation and focus serves it well. I wonder where it would stand if my apatite for Korn were as it was in my youth, if it may rank among the best. With the band still churning a new record out every couple of years, its hard for that impact to be properly felt. With time I'll see how this one feels again at some point in the future.

Rating: 7/10

Limp Bizkit "Still Sucks" (2021)

 

 

Its finally here! The album I thought might never see the light of day. Ten years ago with Gold Cobra, it seemed the Nu Metal kings were about to hit a groove with new singles being released in the following years. Interestingly, none of those them made the cut. The story goes that front man Fred Durst has been continually dissatisfied with his contributions, going back and forth to the studio, unable to finish the project. Its possible that much of the instrumental material here was ready eight years ago!

Its that creative divide the records struggles with, as much of what works hinges on Fred's lyrics which are mostly corny. The opening track Out Of Style has Wes Borland delivering his unique style with groovy chunks of guitar noise landing like punches as Otto brings the tight bouncy drumming and DJ Lethal fleshes out the texture with turntable scratches. Sadly its a fluffed opener as the doubt that delayed this record seems all too obvious. The verse rhymes are aimless and cheesy, finding no gratification with a hook or chorus either. Despite being corny, Fred nailed this twenty years ago with attitude and obnoxiousness. It seems that spark is long gone.

Fortunately the following Dirty Rotten Bizkit steers the overall theme to this "we suck", self deprecating notion that suits Limp Bizkit so well at this point in time. Still hated by many but adored by fans it works like a shield to deter a serious focus on what Fred is up to as you could write a book on the amount of silly rhymes he drops. Its all about having fun and Dad Vibes really leans into that. Its followed up by Turn It Up, Bitch which sounds like a classic 90s House Of Pain instrumental, of course the link here is self evident! They run the Hip Hop routine again with more beats and rhymes at the end with Snacky Poo, which might have the best rhymes of the record.

This side of the band and the overall theme converges wonderfully on Love The Hate as an oddball warbling bass noise rumbles under Otto's tight grooves. Fred and a guest play out a typical hater conversation about his band, steering it wonderfully to that "I listened to them when I was a kid" line. As it goes most the hate they get came from MTV generation kids that once loved them. Personally I never let go of that juvenile enthusiasm, there is just too much fun to be had with the classic LB!

Elsewhere on the record variety is found in droves. Barnacle rocks and roars like a Nirvana 90s grunge classic, deploying all the tropes of that style. You Bring Out The Worst In Me hails back to some of the bands lighter and melodic tracks while simultaneously deploying one of its grittiest grooves as Fred screams and Wes bludgeons his guitar. Pill Popper sounds somewhat like a Ministry track with its driving industrial snare drum. The variety here is fun and definitely on the nostalgic side.

Overall Still Sucks is fun because it has variety and the band don't take themselves to seriously. The lead single Don't Change stands out like a sore thumb tho. It seems it wasn't written by the band and that shows. The emotional angle and serious moody temperament just doesn't suit Fred at all. Other than a few blemishes, LB mostly walk the line well just having some good old goofy fun and banging out the jams!

Rating: 6/10

Chevelle "The North Corridor" (2016)

 Impressed by this years Niratias, I thought I'd step back five years to give the Illinois Rock outfit another try. The North Corridor is their eighth and lacking the context of their evolution, it really comes of like a plagiarist execution of Tool in their prime. Aggressive grooves, atmospheric incursions and psychedelic echos of Lateralus and 10,000 Days dominate just about every song here. Enjoyable, if its your cup of tea.

With every spin it passes me by, a competent set of songs yet lacking a sparkle, mainly as every break out moment lingers in the shadow that other band. Getting past this lack of originality, the influences are interesting. Obviously the Progressive and Alternative Metal flavors run strong but the record is rife with harsh syncopated grooves. Bludgeons of chromatic palm mute chugging, backed by its dense, warbling baselines fire inline with pounding drum strikes frequent many a song with these simplistic slabs of primordial dance. Often it serves as a jump of point for the rest of the music to evolve, delving into bursts of psychedelic, reverb soaked lead guitars to wail into the distance alongside other progressive tangents.

Pete Loeffler's presence upfront is massive, a tug of war between emotive spoken inflections and throat wrenching screams that strain and shout with quite an impressive intensity. He punctuates the music well, often orchestrating the musical shifts with his conduction. It is of course a performance treading in the foot steps of Maynard Keenan. Practically every idea executed feels complimentary to the Tool back catalog, on one track where he deviates, Punchline, singing like Trent Reznor.

In all its similarities, Chevelle execute with classic, making engaging music with much to offer. Riotous yet contained landscapes of aggression and frustration. My issue with The North Corridor is its dull production. Everything feels distinctly grayscale. The guitar tone seems brittle and rough, the bass warble is massive but lacking charm, it feels a little brute force. The drums are decent but on some tracks seems a little out of balance in the mix. Ultimately, all its elements are present but just seem to teeter on the demo quality edge with its rough aesthetic and dull tone.

Rating: 6/10

Jay-Z & Linkin Park "Collision Course" (2004)

 

Delighted by the recent Rap Metal adjacent works of Hackivist, I found myself thinking back to this record, which I had barely paid attention too upon its release. Back then I probably had my mind deep in the world of Extreme Metal and nose turned up... But with age, a renewed fondness for the music of my teens now has me wide eyed getting into this collaboration by two of the industries biggest names of the era.

Born of MTV's Mash Ups show and masterminded by Mike Shinoda, the brief six track Collision Course sounds born of that spirit, the interchanging of instrumentals and accappelas between opposing musicians. As a collaboration its sounds just like that, however the enthusiasm shared between the two camps had Linkin Park and Jaz-Z meeting in the studio to re-record parts of Shinoda's arrangements to ensure quality.

It speaks volumes to the seamless nature, everything aligns sweetly. Crunky percussive kicks and snappy snares give the metallic aggression of the guitars a ground to the Hip Hop persona. Both Chester's moving cleans and raw screams match the Rap instrumentals, Mike's roll as a rapper obviously fits but its mostly Linkin Park who dominate the vibes with their songs taking up most the runtime.

Big Pimping and Izzo stand out as the cuts which hold onto their original beats but the other songs get overridden by the metallic energy when the guitars arrive. Its all fantastic but perhaps my emotional attachments have me reveling in nostalgia from these re-worked bangers. Points Of Authority and One Step Close overload 99 Problems for goosebumps inducing mania as Jay-Z drives the crossover with his raps.

I am ultimately left fascinated by this EP, a commercial peak at the end of an era when my two favorite genres rubbed shoulders. For all the Rap Metal I've adored, missing out on this was a major fumble. I can't get past how wonderful the chemistry is. It feels like an obvious mash up yet that doesn't hold it back where you might expect. Its like bottled lightning, perhaps amplified by my own personal excitement. Given the two toured this together, the accompanying DVD is now mandatory viewing for me.

Rating: 7/10

Foreign Objects "Galactic Prey" (2015)

 

Nostalgic adventures to bands of years gone past often yield surprises! Not only did I learn of The Undiscovered Numbers & Colors nine years prior to Universal Culture Shock but also this one, Galactic Prey, released eleven years on after reuniting as a band. Its been rather quiet since then and perhaps we can expect the next installment to come a half decade on, given their timely track record! With this in mind, they could easily be forgiven for any transformation in identity time has brought with it.

And that shift in tone is obvious from the get go. Initially finding myself stiff to the change, familiarity showed it is the character and spirit that excels here. The Technical Death Metal aspect of old feels steered more to an Arena Metal energy akin to Avenged Sevenfold. The color once heard bleeding from the guitars gets a dazzling new direction fit for a big stage and summer festivals. There is much passion in Deron Miller and newly on-boarded Kenneth Hunter's presence. The duo's vocals soar as a focal point, alongside blazing guitar solos that routinely step into the limelight. It is a trying chemistry, honest and sincere yet always slightly off note.

As one to not digest lyrics well, it really felt like the words were being thrust forth with a grand sense of theme. Wrapped around it lively instrumentation built a vivid landscape of color and aggression woven with a captivating spirit. From here many ambitious experiments blossomed and charmed with vocal effects and other manipulations creating some wonderful moments beyond the normal pallet of sounds. Saman Ali plays a wonderful roll with the keyboards, often subtle with aesthetics and timely with inflections of melody, his performance feels possibly under utilized as the electronic and symphonic aspects were class when in focus

When there record fumbles is in production. With a budget of thirteen grand, the fidelity is demo like, competent and punchy but unbalanced and frequenting audio clashes the snappy music pushes through. It does blemish a lot of the music and does not do it justice. The album's title track is also written by a different musician, Jonathan Masi. Its main riff feels like a rehash of an old Foreign Objects song, which is rather akin to the CKY sound, which this record has quite a few flushes with. Its definitely a good thing. Ultimately I'm left feeling like this would of been an utterly engrossing album under better guidance and direction because the music itself always sounds paces better than its muddied, crowded aesthetic.

Rating: 7/10

Foreign Objects "Universal Culture Shock" (2004)

 

A current record on rotation has been giving me some serious CKY vibes. More so two thirds of the line-up, Jess Margera and Deron Miller, on this adjacent project Foreign Objects! Its a gem of a record, taking that unique and dynamic sound of Camp Kill Yourself into a Extreme Metal direction with guttural vocals and an aptitude towards the more progressive and technical aspects of instrumentation. Don't be fooled, for all its flash the foundations are built with fantastic song writing and a flair for melody that has its crunchiest of riffs flowing with colors. Its parallel to a handful of metallic genres yet stands triumphantly apart with its warm embrace.

Foreign Objects was actually formed before CKY and with the viral success of the VHS videos and Jackass, it seems the pair decided to revive their ambitions with this sophomore album after Infiltrate Destroy Rebuild. That sound is apparent throughout but more so in its earlier songs. As the album progresses, more Death Metal influences to the likes of Cynic and Atheist end up showing themselves a touch nakedly with sections that lean on some of the tropes like dis-harmonized melodies and meatier guitar riffs. Its all fantastic but the album does start like a rocket.

 The self titled track and Genesis 12A leap from the speakers, the music more colorful, interwoven and going on a fantastic journey of colorful aggression melding its tuneful nature between groove and gusto with Jess wilding out on his drums with an animated performance set to strike all cymbals and toms frequently between the foundations of his patterns. Its wonderfully engaging and Deron's harsh throaty growl shouts have charm but less in the aesthetic and more so the timing and delivery. He sounds impassioned and it makes the songs come to life with his better lines.

I could heap on the praise but not everything is perfect. The albums production is a touch harsh and lacking budget but the music attitude fortunately punches right through its rough edges. As mentioned the album tends to drift to its less creative songs, passing an amazing Disengage The Simulator cover on the way out which fizzles out with the toned down Victory Over Neptune transitioning into a sombre acoustic but underwhelming ending. Then lastly there is Big Boy, its tone and temperament doesn't really fit the bill or carry the same energy as anything before.

At its peak, this albums songs are of a dazzling craft but its a flawed treasure for sure with the front loading. Looking up some details on its release Ive learned it was packaged with a five track demo from 1995. That is making its way to playlist immediately! I'm glad I got around to writing about this one, for any CKY fans reading, you need to hear this! Especially if your fond of more abrasive music.

Rating: 8/10

Chevelle "Niratias" (2021)

 

I'm glad I'd taken the time to discover Tool before encountering a record like this. Chevelle have won me over with their thoughtfully tempered and artistically angered take on Rock and Alternative Metal. It was on the second listen that the resemblance to Tool suddenly clicked and its been unshakable since then. Singer Pete Loeffler emulates Maynard at every turn, both in style, pitch and delivery. I feel that I can only refer to his obvious influence as the distinction. His multi-instrumentalist brother Sam does much of the same with the song writing, arrangements and riff ideas with an occasional big riff more akin to perhaps Nu Metal in delivery. Even deviations from the norm on instrumental interludes with ghostly pianos have an echo of similarity. Either I'm right on the nose with this or infantile to the web of influence Tool have undoubtedly cast on bands like Chevelle.

Similarities aside, this album has been a blast. Niratias runs an expressive line of crafted writing, steering clear of leaning to hard on tropes and arrives at its conclusions with the grace of lavish instrumentation that gets everything involved in intervals with space for individuals to shine in the gaps between. So often do the guitars drop back for the bass guitar to rumble. Lead guitars get to sweetly slide into focus with elongated stretches of atmospheric melody and around it all the drums weave together a narrative. Its theme is supposedly rooted in the talks of the times when it comes to a commercial era of space flight and the now popular philosophical discussion of simulation theory. Its most potent lyrics to me tho, where the impassioned cries towards misinformation and science skepticism which too have risen to prominence during the pandemic.

At a meaty fifty minutes, Niratias offers up some fantastic vibes, balancing aggression and artistry with something I can only describe as the "festival feel". Many of these songs feel set for the summer stage to be shared with thousands of fans, delivering those big riffs and crunches after grueling through the gradual build ups and hold over sections that keeps the music in lane. In the past I think its the sort of music I'd gloss over but I am happy to say that ignorance is gone! For all the familiarity this has been an exciting listening experience that feels best as a whole, having found it hard to pick favorites from the track listing. Peach however... is a peach of a song! Oh too easy but yes this one has an exception bite to it as so quietly builds to its blunt force guitar throwing down thumping slabs of low end noise. Pete absolutely makes this song pop with his fiery singing, crying out woes of foreboding limb removal!

Rating: 7/10

Gojira "Fortitude" (2021)

 

Although delayed by the Pandemic, French Metal outfit Gojria's seventh record, Fortitude, marks an increasing gap between records with a five year wait from the toned down, atmosphere driven Magma. As these musicians mature, so does the music and the time waited feels worthwhile as the Duplantier brothers and their band-mates hone in on a wholesome, naturalist and cultured tone. Embellishing the heavy sway of their rhythmic guitars, the space between instruments groans with earthly pains as the common themes of environmental and indigenous concerns manifest it the texture, painting its modern Metal cliches with a humanitarian identity.

Gojira's craft for groovy, swaying chugga riffs remains firmly intact with plenty of timely moments to deliver the momentous, head banging riffs with pinch harmonics, slides and all manor of guitar noise between. New Found is a keen example, housing a couple of the albums most infectious rhythmic grooves. The difference is the space between, often the guitars work in tandem, high and low, delivering meaty chords and melodic lines that weave the earthly texture between them. The bass guitar too plays a wonderful roll in this too. Its thick warm presence being rather dramatic and creative at times with fret dives, slides and high notes that resonate wonderfully.

Up front on vocals, Joe Duplantier gives a complimenting measured performance, having the reach for gritty growls, demonic shots and a range the crosses over to the spirited and effeminate. He draws out this indigenous native spirit with frays into wordless cries of melody that weep with the spirit of the land. Equally the anger of destruction and human pains burgeons in its sway to the dark and gruesome screams Metal music adorns. Most these songs sway between to the two as so do the instruments, intensifying grooves and opening up to emotional atmospheres between.

There is little I can flaw but I can't say there were many grabbing moments of awe. This felt like balancing act to pull us along its dreary and bleak hurt without becoming too engulfed by attention capturing grooves and heavy metal distractions. Its an album that gently cruises by, holding presence and brooding in its own shadow. Despite being rather downtrodden in mood its a joyous listen as that earthly spirit permeates so well. The production helped achieve this but I must say some of tracks feel a little dulled and muddy with the music carrying weight through reasonable fidelity. Perhaps it is part of the charm given those earthly tones I have commented on, for some reason it just strikes me as missing a sharpness. Either way its a solid record.

 Rating: 7/10

Papa Roach "Lovehatetragedy" (2002)

 
My recent dive into the past with Infest had me thinking on their followup record Lovehatetragedy, a very Emo oriented title perhaps signifying a coming departure from Nu Metal that would follow this record. It occurred to me that upon release I devoured this album but had left it in the dust, never listening to it again once that period in life had passed. So today I thought I'd give it another spin, see what I remember, possibly enjoy and how its aged over the last two decades.

Kicking off with M-80, high adrenaline guitars rip through some exciting riffs, the theme of musical love amps up the energy, setting quite the upbeat tone for this record. Sadly it is short lived, Life Is A Bullet spins next and it starts flooding back. Lovehatetragedy is a slug of self indulged misery. Song after song has Shaddix spewing his particular craft of self defeating sorrow that glorifies all suffering in a moment without resolve. To find him some merit, its catchy writing, his choruses have a knack to them, cheesy ear worms I'm glad I had once forgotten. This is painful.

The band behind him bring back a very similar aesthetic. The approach to songwriting is as before, the rhythm guitars tend to pivot away from syncopation and metallic groove, with more hazy, melodic tinged chord arrangements creeping in. It plays into their emotional angle, which has become simply unbearable for me to endure. Its more cast iron Nu Metal with an emphasis on the lonely, moody wallowing tone that often accompanies the worst of the genres tropes.

 The record starts reasonably well, a few pre-Infest songs re-recorded bolster its aggression but as it drones on the songs get drearier in tone or quite possibly my tolerance is being challenged, ending with a string of awful tracks. Its been amusing to hear how many lyrics and choruses come back to mind from memory, pretty much all of it. The depressing nature is just to much to bare. I found myself skipping a few tracks halfway, wishing the torture to end! I am a big believer in finding reasons to love music but record is too wrapped up in awful memories and its clear that Shaddix's words don't offer much in the way of help to someone in this dark space.

Rating: 2/10

Papa Roach "Infest" (2000)

 
In my youth, somewhere between Metallica and then Dimmu Borgir being both favorite band and attachment to my youthful identity, Papa Roach took the spotlight for a while as the classic Last Resort took the airwaves over like a virus. It was on MTV that I first heard the song. My sister insisted I should come to the living and check out Last Resort which would end up being played every hour it would seem. I was immediately hooked, heading to the record store I got my hands on a limited edition metallic case of the record! Infest then became a total and utter binge record.

Every moment and lyric of this record is engraved in my mind but it hasn't aged well. Infest is probably the embodiment of a relatively average band hitting the nerve of a trend. This is quite possibly the most cast molded, atypical Nu Metal record I can think of. Capturing the angsty tone of the times and with a few well written songs, this album simply reeks of Nu Metal, both the best and worse aspects of it. Being from a particularly difficult and depressing point in my life, it has that mental attachment to baggage I'm done with. Whats left is the same tone, mood and emotion in the music itself. Quite possibly a clear reason I bonded with it so much at the time.

Stumbling onto Vice's documentary about the hit song, it had me thinking back over this record and so I wanted to get these words of my chest. The album itself is well formed, fantastic production has the guitars popping with a dense, warm distortion that is very accessible. Drums and bass mix in well around them as a focal point for melody and rhythm. Bass lines often offer up good iterations and soft harmonization. Guitars have great dynamics with overlapping slabs of syncopated Drop D power chords and lead melodies. Its straightforward songwriting but again well formed.

Where the criticism lands is in front man Jacoby Shaddix camp. His singing and screams are pretty darn fantastic in the right stride, the Rap Metal incursions however are definitely dated and lacking lasting power. Its the depressive, angsty lyrics, a moaning of teenage growing pains that inject a dark and self defeating message into the record. Every song is downtrodden and burdensome, no light or relief comes along. This is the art of wallowing in self pity. Hard to tolerate from a matured frame of mind and personally dark for how reflective and identifiable they were at the time.

That tone is what takes the record down a couple pegs for me. Sounding like a broken record, it again comes with dated, of the era moments, particularly in the Rap Metal camp Nu Metal was adjacent to. Shaddix's raps are competent, kinda of fun but lyrically unimpressive. Listening again, weak moments in the music arrive mostly from the lyric sheet and also with these raps. Injections of turntable scratches and a couple moments where they emulate the trend in someone else's name do sour in reflection. The breakdown rap section on Revenge is a complete ripoff of Korn's lead guitar style. Somehow I never spotted it at the time.

Putting the best in the front, tracks two to six represent the best of the band, Between Angles And Insects being one fantastic song that holds up. After that the weaker tracks experiment a little, offering similar concepts not so well executed. The nine minute self loathing indulgence of Throw Away stands out for its pivot into a Reggae tinged slowdown with a line that embodies everything about the records tone. "We are the future, the twenty first century, dyslexic, glue sniffing cyber sluts, with homicidal minds and handguns". Oh how do I wish I'd found Rollins Band instead of this indulgence in self defeat. Its a bittersweet record for me, the instrumentals are wonderful, bounce, soft grooves, aggression and melody meld well, yet its angsty lyrical premise is so tired on me. This might be the last time I ever listen to it in full again.

Rating: 6/10

Deftones "Ohms" (2020)

How is it that after a handful of spins, these ten new tracks feel like songs you've know for years? With each record Deftones pivot to a new shade of sound, a fresh take on a decades spanning identity. Title track and lead single Ohms flags the new direction as the group lean deep into their Shoegaze era inspirations. Its almost misleading as the most ambitious number to emphasize Steven Carpenter's riffing direction, now utilizing a nine string guitar yet he can't help but drift into classic groove laden chugs on half of these songs. They sway, cushioned below the hazy rising sun of Chino's sleepy voice entangled with ever present light airy synths that permeate the unique atmosphere of this stunning album, the bands ninth in a string of successes.

Opening with Genesis, eerie saw wave synths stir soft tensions as dreamy, sombre acoustics paint reoccurring colors to the canvas. In a moments notice it gives way to the slam of Steven's Djent tonality with the intensity dialed to the forefront. The synth remains, as it does throughout the record, sustaining a soft, warm haze that will in turn blossom many beautiful moments when barraging distortion riffs give way. Its the temperament of Chino's swooning voice that feels crucial to the swaying. Their musical chemistry never needs selling though his soaring cries to softer breathy speaking hits a home run, gluing it all together with a charm that never fades.

 On Urantia his inflections and pitch have an uncanny resemblance to Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins. With so many shared commonalities and parallels in music its actually remarkable how little of the record conjures thoughts of other artists. And yet still across its ten songs there is much diversity, especially when they deviate from norms as the guitar direction feels intentionally more explorative. When attune experimentation flourishes, the singular, textural synths often shine. Error is simply magical, no thanks to the spellbinding drone of its spooky swirling oscillation.

Its a particularly strong moment as it transitions into the albums best, The Spell Of Mathematics. Initially a sludgy slug fest of low end noise, the creepy synths break for esoteric interludes that eventually culminate with Chino ushering a ravishing warmth from its unsettled, chilling atmosphere. The composition highlights a strange tone Ohms posses. Its a foot a two realms, finding limbo as all that's glossy and gorgeous is in constant friction with an ominous, faceless lurching presence. Dark, chilling yet far from danger or evil it carves a place that feels like a lonely wandering dream.

Working with Terry Date, the production is no doubt a marvel. Crisp, clear instruments with depth, fidelity and character meet on a stage fit for straight forward music capable of blooming into dense walls of magical sound. Abe Cunningham continues to impress as he houses not only the monstrous grooves but the flushes where Deftones step further from their tradition. Early on in the record I feel like we hear far more of his creativity, deeper in its a little routine. The baselines too, often an undercurrent, play a roll, livening up much of the music with its added power in the dense mixture.

The Deftones have a deep authentic chemistry. Taking care and time with each record there is simply no denying their execution. Ohms is inspired, interesting and mesmerizing when your locked in. Its best comes from texture and atmosphere, the heavy persuasion a familiar one that works best when pinned in by the synths, Frank Delgado really gave this record a special edge. The one dimension I all too often miss out on is lyrics. Many of the lines I did catch onto felt artistic and poetic, I'm sure a read of the lyric sheet is worth while. That will be on the "to do" list for now and so will this record as I'll continue to binge for some time, no doubt!

Rating: 9/10

Marilyn Manson "We Are Chaos" (2020)

 

With his career revived in its third stint, news of We Are Chaos brought quite the anticipation, despite Heaven Upside Down not having the same lasting power as The Pale Emperor. From the first spin till this latest, this new chapter has had quite the absorbing pull. Now starting to pick out my favorites, all ten of these tracks strive for a similar sing-along anthem spirit as Manson's lyrics hit a stride for his typically striking wording and keen thought provoking lyrics, twisted with a little deviance as his catchy chorus hooks dig like nails into skin, leaving a mark.

One to normally romp with metallic aggression and industrial noise, the bands thick and embellished sound gives way to the tenants of popular song writing. Where riffs and slabs of darkly sound once took the musical stance, keen writing directed by driving baselines, elevated with timely pianos and permeated with moody acoustic guitars. A stage is set for Manson to shine as a front man, his lyrics churning dark and difficult realities into sing along songs is remarkable as hes done it many times before. Without deep analysis, the general mood feels like an amalgamation of his newer personally oriented themes and lesser so, the social commentary.

Infinite Darkness and Perfume stick out as a moment more alike his traditional styling. They fit in well to punch a bit of stomping energy between the indulgence of lighter songs toying with the the now common wall of sound production style where the music is fluffed up layers of sound between its core instruments. Its a good thing, enriching these tunes. In the game of picking favorites, the songs that define themselves do so with flashes of great songwriting from decades gone by and quite the variety of genres and moods these musics have blessed us with. Its hard to pin down even per song but it feels like the band embraced a lot of inspiration.

For me, We Are Chaos now sits in this strange place where I can lavish praise upon it yet as the songs become better known I wonder if its got legs. Over the years many records muster up a big fuss in their freshness only to fade. Some songs here will undoubtedly stand the test of time. If all of them do we could be looking be at a record to fit in among his best. One thing that is for sure, a lot of these songs will fit sweetly into a set list whenever he is amble to resume touring, given the times and all.

Rating: 9/10

Mushroomhead "A Wonderful Life" (2020)

 

  What words to muster for this record? Its been tough to find them. Almost twenty years on from XX there is little stylistic evolution beyond the general trends of modern Metal. Keeping their unique balance between distorted guitars and Classical toned keyboards the band offer up a heaving bulk of mediocrity at seventy minutes. If you cut the runtime by over half you might have something reasonable but its biggest downfall is how interspersed the projects better material is.

A Wonderful Life sounds like it has an arching theme with some recurring lyrics of pain and struggle, so neatly packaged it feels hard to relate with. Its inline with the tone of "light" European Metal, often female fronted, that puts emphasis on clean singing and routine reductions of intensity. A couple tracks stray right into this territory and others linger nearby sticking to their distinct style. There is nothing wrong with that sound but its a temperament that fails to stir emotional resonance with me.

A couple of songs in the mid section play up big theatrical themes with slow unravellings and a sense of grandiose story telling with the music. Its reasonable but far from being remarkable. Again the lyrical themes seem to play up suffering with a lack of resonance. It ties in to the opening barrage of intense operatic singing which rears its ugly head again towards the end and on the closing track. Again, nothing wrong with this but it feels so out of place, a rigid attempt to compliment the theme.

Overall its been a few sluggish spins with some moments of intrigue but mostly dull and drawn out songwriting dressed up by the bands aesthetic and intensity which is enjoyable. Its a competent production so listenable but hardly a memorable one.

Rating: 4/10

Spread "The Whole Nine Yards" (1999)

Around fifteen years ago my music archive hard drive suddenly stopped working. This was absolutely devastating for this young audiophile. It subsequently brought about the practice of frequently backing up all my data, in multiple places. I was able to recover a fair amount from the drive but sectors of it were damaged. Fortunately I could also print the entire directory list to file and at least have a record of what I'd lost... The internet has changed greatly since then. Its much easier to find niche content now. Browsing over that directory list I thought I'd have a little search and what would you know the album has been available on YouTube for two years!

The power of want and nostalgia had mystified The Whole Nine Yards as a "lost gem" in my mind. Hearing it again... how little of that is true! With so much time passed its just the one track, Sacrifice, that I can actually remember in its entire sequence. How I ever found this band in the first place is a mystery now. It is however a fun revisit to the glum moody spirits of Nu Metal, this record perfectly embodying the downtrodden, broken and frustrated tone many bands shared at the time.

As a self produced record, they clearly checked all the boxes for being picked up by a label looking to cash in on the fad. Its obvious weak point though are the vocals. The production at time deploys some reverbs to help mask the weakness but its mostly the clean takes are off key and strained, you can hear what they were aiming but it falls short. The screams and shouts can be a little tiresome too with a lack of interest in the textures they arrive with. They do all the cliche approaches with a couple of Corey Taylor shout raps thrown in the mix too.

When it comes to originality there is little. Deploying all the tropes, one can hear plenty of Korn, Coal Chamber, Godsmack and Slipknot with the echos of the Alternative Metal scene present. Mixing throttling bursts of distorted aggression, quirky guitar melodies and open wound vocal performances, little touches of DJ interludes like Limp Bizkit akin Hip Hop beats just give it everything heard elsewhere before. I probably sound harsh in my tone, despite how its aged poorly with a tired look back at the scene, The Whole Nine Yards is a pretty competent and impressive attempt to fit in with the times, forging some decent songs of that vein. If your in the mood for something depressingly indulged and aggressive then this EP has it.

Favorite Track: Sacrifice
Rating: 3/10

Mushroomhead "XX" (2001)

With a new album released, I though I'd hear the group out and see where they are at these days. I've always been fond of Mushroomhead but mainly for this record alone. XX is their major label debut but also a collection of remastered songs from their first three independently released albums. As another masked Metal band emerging in the Nu Metal era, they are often unfairly cited as a Slipknot clone or rip off, despite being musically different and predating them on both record and in dress.

Often lumped into Metals most contentious category, Mushroomhead are actually more unique than credited for. Industrial, Alternative and Groove strains of Metal influence their dystopian sound with strong syncopation elements being the closest resemblance to Nu Metal, yet they carry none of the tropes. Best of all their keyboards deploy classic tones, bright beaming pianos and symphonic strings are a prominent and contrasting feature, often joining in the syncopation. More often than not they are the touche delivering the memorable and quirky melodies that set these songs aside.

A lot of Mushroomhead's music is not immediately gratifying, they have the mosh friendly stomping tracks with big grooves but often their songs are about atmosphere and tension. Steadily unfolding moods are birthed from chugging guitars of industrial weight and intention, while drawn out guitar chords and subtle synths set a slow and moody tone for the two singers to exchange on the stage. Not always looking for a crescendo or conclusion these numbers make for a great slow burn experience.

When they do ramp up the intensity in a metallic direction, the dystopian mix of clean synths and dirty, gritty aggression is a persuading one. These tend to be the more memorable songs for obvious reasons. XX is a record I've enjoyed for decades and Is worth a listen for its unique chemistry alone. This band where never able to capture my interest with anything else they did but I've got their newest record to give a try but almost twenty years on I'm not sure much of this era will remain.

Favorite Tracks: Before I Die, Solitaire Unraveling, Xeroxed, The Wrist, The New Cult King, Born Of Desire, 43, Bwomp 2

Rating: 8/10

Enter Shikari "Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible" (2020)

Reeling back upon The Spark's softening shift in tone, Enter Shikari return with a spicy self historical mix up. Nothing Is True has rolled up a little bit of everything tried so far in their five records leading to this sixth installment. The four lads have been together since their teenage years, forging a unique identity that can be felt through the chemistry. I have a deep affinity for their music. Ive seen them go from local pubs, clubs and schools to headlining festivals. Its been simply magical and I will always have a soft spot for them, making it hard to not enjoy anything they do!

The albums sentiment comments on our technology driven age haunted by science denial, trolls, bots, fake news and social media hysteria. Its a finger on a pulse that has been pounding for a while, the perspectives often shaped through a dystopian lens seem second fiddle to the groups excellent song writing. The power of hooks and catchy lyrics are better felt through the passion Rou delivers them with than there content. That may just depend on how deep you've dove into these topics beforehand.

Its fifteen songs are cracking, a constant roll out of fun, energy and passion with a retroactive array of aesthetics, keenly from the synths that pull from the best of electronic oriented sounds experimented in the past. Its a framework around songwriting that periodically dips into trendy Alternative Pop stylings. Despite all being good songs, Crossing The Rubicon, The Pressure's On & Satellites reek off imitation with a direction clearly emulating others, rather than perusing that Shikari purism.

The rest of the record has that uniqueness intact with a fair spread of experimentation that occasionally gets a little wild. Elegy For Extinction breaks things up with a moment of pure symphonic wonder as a dense orchestral composition builds a fiery intensity to propel the music into its most bipolar moment with rave synths and dirty pounding dance floor percussion firing off under modulated vocals. Its a wild treat that shows the band still have a knack to pull together all aspects of influences.

If their is anything left to be desired, perhaps the group didn't do anything unexpected. As fantastic as their endlessly youthful and exuberant style is, this unifying sound of all attempted before misses an opertunity to surprise which is something each record has had to it before, a new territory to uncover. Despite that, its familiarity plays like a group of old friends returning to give you new stories you'll cherish. Nothing Is True is loaded with songs to subtly slip alongside the best of their setlists.

Favorite Tracks: The Great Unknown, The Dreamers Hotel, Apocaholics, T.I.N.A, Elegy For Extinction

Rating: 8/10

Ocean Grove "Black Label" (2015)

In light of whats to come on their debut record The Rhapsody Tapes, the Australian group can be heard here at the crossroads, steadily shedding their Metalcore roots and bringing about the Nu Metal elements to their sound. Black Label strangely parallels this trajectory as some Deathcore elements in the opening tracks gets weened out as more Nu Metal ideas inch in. Guitar tones, vocal stylings, syncopated riffs and the classic creepy Korn high pitched guitar noises all tend to mirror the genre that peaked twenty years ago. Although Ocean Grove pull it off with an enjoyable presence of expression, at times some of these ideas undoubtedly pull from the smellier side of Nu Metal, which there was a lot of back at its peak.

They are yet to land on the right arrangement of elements that will forge the gold to come, however Luke Holmes unleashes his clean vocals for the first time here and they are fantastic, pretty much the best moments by far. It feels a little uncohesive with the downtrodden glumness this breed of Nu Metal has baked into it and the arsenal of riffs, the booming slams or quirky melodies, fail to reach any particular summits. Its descent into this sound even has some classic DJ scratches cropping up in the final song, something I'm glad they didn't pursue in the same vein. An interesting record, really glad they were able to work out all the kinks reviving this old style.

Rating: 5/10

Ocean Grove "Flip Phone Fantasy" (2020)

My attention has been captivated, the astonishment elevated as once again musics deeply fulfilling emotions strike hard! Unearthing this band around the release of this sophomore record has been a miraculous blessing. Along with the likes of recent discoveries, Puppy, Turnstile and Ho99o9, that exuberant youthful energy has been invigorated again but this time Ocean Grove completely blow the lid of my noggin. I have to control myself, the binging is excessive yet the music keeps delivering.

The Australian group left The Rhapsody Tapes with strong metallic roots. A glow of modern metal, the nostalgic bounce of Nu Metal and a Metalcore aggressiveness are left in the shadows as the band loosen up and evolve with a significant line up change. New vocalist Dale Tanner brings about a similar presence, elevating musical energy but his leanings into the style of classic Rap Metal and summery singing in the spirit Noel Gallagher gives them a diverse new approach to the nostalgia.

The track Sunny being a particular gem, summer of 96 vibes with Oasis on the airwaves and football glory on the mind... A peach of a song with a brilliant Nirvana alike guitar solo to bring about the goosebumps. A lineup change on guitars with Twiggy Hunter now on bass guitar has those bright gleaming distortion guitars really nailing their purpose as every intention feels fulfilled. The interlude tracks too feel a class above previous efforts, Baby Cobra's acoustic guitar and Dream Pop, Ethereal aesthetic being particularly charming and soothing in its dreamy nature.

The band have reinvented their imagination of 90s sounds, particularly Alternative Rock, Metal and Grunge getting a keen nod but once again, this is no nostalgia trip. Fusing modern wall of sound production and lively synths the group pull out a diverse set of songs exploring a range of vibes and temperaments with absolute clarity of vision. Every song on this record is self realized and wonderful. Its drawback may be a couple of less distinct tracks and passable rap verses which get by on spirit more so than the value of lyrics or delivery. Its a weak point that will be easily overlooked.

The best of the record comes through diversity. Experiments with Drum N Bass groves and dirty baseline noise on Guys From The Gord are fiery juxtaposed to its dreamy vocals. Shimmer goes for the uplifting, inspiring sailing into the sun, akin to the likes of Young Guns. Ask For The Anthem takes the biscuit with a fun jiving track full of Funk Metal groove you can't help but move too. Junkie$, the song that caught my ear and introduced me to the band is a true hail to Limp Bizkit with ridiculous raps and those phat and loose bouncy guitar grooves in the Wes Borland spirit.

It should be obvious I am enamored by this record. Rumblings of twenty to thirty year nostalgia cycle commonly observed in many artistic mediums have been brewing with the sounds of my youth and trend would indicate its simply getting better routinely. What will this band do next? Who will they inspire now? Its all to exciting for my musical mind to handle. Another amazing discovery along the journey!

Favorite Tracks: Superstar, Neo, Sunny, Thousand Golden People, Baby Cobra, Ask For The Anthem, Junkie$

Rating: 9/10

Ocean Grove "The Rhapsody Tapes" (2017)

This five piece Australian Alternative Metal outfit known as Ocean Grove have been my absolute binge of late. I discovered them through the Punk Rock MBA's video essay on the revival of Nu Metal. A blessing but also a blur. Letting Youtube play endless songs and discovering them right as a new album drops has made the whole experience overwhelming, now having a plethora of songs I adore to engage with. Narrowing my focus a little, I've been getting my head around this one, their debut full length released seven years on from their inception as a Post-Hardcore band.

The Rhapsody Tapes is stunning, perhaps the reasons a little less obvious as to why in the shadow of whats to come. Youthful, spirited and brimming with emotive energy, somehow they avoid the follies of sounding like a nostalgia trip. The 90s sounds run strong with this band. Nirvana, Oasis and Nu Metal can be heard melding in the melting pot with a vibrancy of modern Metal and ideas brought about in the decades since. Originality isn't in question here, these short and punch Pop Metal songs are so vibrant and well written, they simply work, to be enjoyed without need for reflection.

Without a defined formula nailed down, the twelve songs play with a dynamic range of temperaments exploring groove, emotion and fun within the bright template of crisp distortion guitars resonating massive quantities of energy. A couple of interlude tracks play as expanded elements of style, odd ball collaborations that for the most part work. The occasional inclusion of synth or drum machine adds a little flair. The rest of the music however often has a distinction from the realms of Grunge, Metalcore, Djent, Nu Metal and so on. I could write a list of bands, its as if each song plays tribute to particular artist and genre, sometimes mixing, all of which I happen to be a fan of.

Their singer Luke Holmes may be just getting by on the occasional Rap Metal moments of the record but when letting loose he soars and croons with a stunning sensibility for elevating tone. The duo of Jimmy Hall and Mathew Henley on guitars write sensational vibrant, bouncy riffs brimming with energy. Everything they try is a treat and the chemistry between these three sails the record to a height where I simply can't put it down. Its everything I love, done again and with a renewed youth!

Favorite Tracks: Beers, The Wrong Way, These Boys Light Fires, When You're This High You Can Say What You Like, Stratosphere Love

Rating: 8/10