Ocean Grove "Oddworld" (2024)

Having struck gold with Flip Phone Fantasy and Up In The Air Forever, could our Aussies from down under make it three for three? Oddworld sticks with the winning formula. Brimming with enthusiastic energy, their high octane production pushes out another bunch of upbeat banger reveling in the Rap Metal Limp Bizkit inspired lane of Nu Metal. With a little less rap in the mix, shades of Brit Pop return with an emphasis on the soaring Oasis alike, hands behind the back, singing. So to can one hear a sampling footprint from the early Rave years of fellow Brits The Prodigy on Raindrop.

At twenty five minutes, Oddworld is notably shorter. Less songs and two interludes highlight a sense of lacking potency. They've put forward their best but there's less to go around. Cell Division and Fly Away roar out the gate with pace and groove. Slamming riffs, quirky melodies and soaring singalongs set the tone. Stunner and Raindrop keep things flowing, spinning the same ideas through expectant motions. 

 Interlude No Offence Detected revives some Limp Bizkit vibes again with the quirky perusing baseline. It doesn't lead anywhere, as the band proceed to spin their wheels. Last Dance offers a shift in tone. Shimmering guitars and atmospheric reverberating noise creates a loud moody softness to mellow in a heartfelt sorrow. Album closer OTP makes its mark, pivoting to a hard hitting, darkly electronic beat. Built to house ear catching raps, their guests verses' fail to make the concept a memorable one.

Despite being lively, uplifting and infectious, the record suffers a sense of routine as only a couple of songs reach beyond the fundamentals of their sound for something great. It could also be a case of fatigue or familiarity on my behalf but sadly my enjoyment has dropped from the ecstatic highs their last two outings bestowed.

Rating: 7/10

Boston Manor "Sundiver" (2024)

  

Exploring the many charms of 90s Alternative Metal, Boston Manor returned armed with exquisite execution over originality. Sundiver is a captivating record led by front-man Henry Cox who's empowered voice swoons in the emotional current. Pivoting from soft streams of emotive vulnerability to roars of clean confidence, he sings unabashed by the overt stylistic imitations of Chino Moreno. So to do his band mates revel in musical arrangements, groovy riffs and aesthetics pioneered by the Deftones. His other flattery emerges in catchy, tuneful deliveries like Oli Sykes of Bring Me The Horizon would do, these two personalities define much of his vocal presence.

 Its all taken in wondrous stride, every track tightly wound, a perfect fit of elements. Broken up by interludes exploring dreamy acoustics, Ethereal Drum n Bass loops and perusing baselines, its main songs are given space to breath in these intriguing lulls. Venturing into Shoegazing guitar aesthetics and mammoth Nu Metal adjacent grooves, Boston Manor navigate their inspirations with class, birthing fiery songs with inviting passion and emotional resonance to engulf. The whole affair is breezy, warm and uplifting as swells of aggression are vented with positivity. Its definitely a contender for best Metal album of the year! I've struggled to put this one down.

Rating: 8/10

Cane Hill "A Piece Of Me I Never Let You Find" (2024)

 

Leaning into their aggressive side, Cane Hill return with a refined amalgamation of the Nu Metal revival, drifting towards the extremes of Hardcore Djent akin to Thrown. Doused in an aesthetic exhilaration similar to an emerging Argent Metal, the band struggle in harmonizing their loud quiet dynamics. A slew of bombastic, even barbaric, syncopated rhythmic riffs stand in contrast to the melodic charms of Elijah Witt. His presence heals the record, offering gleams of uplift in intensity lulls, as infectious crooning hooks bring an emotive memorability to its incessant "over the top" hostility.

The enthusiastic bounce and groove of Nu Metal's influence feels absent as low end guitars churn out harsh brutalities. Routinely focusing on meaty slabs of slamming Djent tone, they lack any character to shape up a songs heavier aspects. As a result, we embark on a cycling slog through empty onslaughts of crunching guitar noise. Spliced with sporadic fret sounds, layered with subtle dystopian synths, the most expressive moments arrive in the big chords left to ring out under clean vocal breaks.

Left to spin in the background, this record simply drifts by. Its hooky breaks grabbing ones attention every time. On closer analysis, these tend to be the only moments that create memorability. Thus its best comes from the soft moody interludes and Witt's clean break outs. Permanence In Sleep and I Always Knew We Were Do have the best choruses, a delight when they arrive. A Piece Of Me I Never Let You Find crudely pushes senseless violence together with a charactered emotional magnetism, falling short on writing memorable songs in the process.

Rating: 6/10

Motionless In White "Graveyard Shift" (2017)

 

 

Working back through Motionless In White's discography, I've anticipated hearing amateurish songwriting born of their Metalcore roots but this ain't it. Still reveling in a distinct amalgamation of popular Metal from the 90s and 00s, their musical witchery is effortless to enjoy. At this stage, its beefy Nu Metal guitar riffs that dominate overt influences with the legend Jonathan Davis lending a mild feature on Necessary Evil.

With Trance synths and crunching percussion, flavors of Gothic melody and Industrial rhythm weave into the mix around Chris Cerulli's hooks and downtrodden anthemic lyrics. Sadly, their chemistry isn't as potent. Simple breakdowns, gang shouts and throaty screams break apart these spells with flashes of the aforementioned Metalcore roots. Otherwise all the components are in place, a band steadily maturing.

I'm left reasonably entertained but lacking any enthrallment. Soft serves as a fair highlight, obvious Slipknot influences spin a first pumping riff, jolted into action from the start. "You're mine motherfucker" screamed as if from the mouth of Corey Taylor. Its creepy Korn melody counterpart balances out the energy well. Many of its best ideas feel uncannily close to that era. 570, however, plays like a straight melodic Metalcore banger, something leftover from prior writing sessions? Overall, a fair listen.

Rating: 5/10

Motionless In White "Disguise" (2019)

 

Proceeding their latest effort Scoring The End Of The World, Disguise plays through similar rebellious dystopian motifs. Downtrodden and disconcerted, these self loathing lyrics vent social frustrations and systemic critiques. Emerging in a mangled messed, this personal emotional darkness gets tuned up to a feverous anthemic pitch.

Continuing the legacy of key 90s and 00s bands, another energized romp of animated Metal bangers play off Chris' hooky infectious singing. Tuneful synths and stomping guitars set the stage for ghoulish themes teetering on Gothic at times. Its essentially the same architecture, possibly less impressive now familiar with the bands construct.

Early on the band show their Nu and Industrial Metal influences a touch more directly, however the amalgamation holds strong. On the flip side, Broadcasting From Beyond The Grave and following Brand New Numb play like a shameless Marilyn Manson covers. Fun but a stint lacking originality from a band that usually mix themselves in.

Disguise has entertained but failed to impact. Now lacking a novelty, Motionless In White play with a comforting familiarity, flying the flag with a bold stride that's difficult to critique. My teenage self would adore this punchy angered energy yet I've found it hard to pick favorites among its consistent tone barely hitting a peak or valley either.

Rating: 6/10

Thrown "Excessive Guilt" (2024)

From a fiery five minute EP, to bludgeoning twenty minute album, Thrown follow up debut Extended Pain with parallel architecture. Brief songs pummel ideas swiftly, wasting no time churning through its chops. Guitars froth with brutality, distortion brimming at the seams in gristly intensity. Syncopation reigns like a punch to the face, kick drums often aligning with the rhythmic barbarism on display for primitive groove.

 

Once again, an aesthetic romp, pushed to compressed extremes. An unsurprising concoction, given its the German Hardcore outfits niche. What may have been obvious before rears its head, striking Nu Metal influences, masked by Djent. Going a step further than slamming dropped power chords on down tuned guitars, subtle disc jockey scratches, downtrodden melodies and other characteristics are prominent.

Sprinkling in touches of trendy electronica, through dystopian synth melodies, attaching brief Trap drum machine interludes, Thrown add a little novelty to their fist pumping ferocity. It never quite makes a song but serves as the jump off point to lunge into the roaring aggression. That's what Excessive Guilt is all about, playing out like a brawl, songs turn like adrenaline shots to sprint through their arsenal of riffs.

Rating: 7/10

Rina Sawayama "Sawayama" (2020)

 Arriving at the cutting edge of contemporary Pop music, singer-songwriter Rina casts an excitable web of diverse musical influences. With dexterity fondly reminiscent of Queen, her execution plays effortless, a graceful genre gallop between Pop Rock, Disco, J-Pop, R&B, Synthpop and even Nu Metal? An obvious favorite of mine, the latter broods its menace on STFU! Unleashing the era's groove through a mammoth, lunging riff, the growling guitars get across their point without need for excessive distortion. Creepy Korn alike melodies linger in the backdrop as the song sways between this aggressive energy and a twinkling dazzle of glossy melodic relief.

Its a keen example as to how Rina hones in on the essence of appeal, each song could merit such discussion as particular eras and genre distinctions meld into an engrossing listen. Other highlights include Comme Des Garvons, a stylish strut of attitude and glamor. Love Me 4 Me revels in the cheese of 80s attempts at bold punchy instrumentation, steering its bright melodies and chirpy nature to an endearing infectiousness. The "fake live" fanfare of Who's Gonna Save U Now? plays a genius touch, elevating this Arena Rock anthem as Rina sails her voice to new heights.

Tokyo Love Hotel woos with soft touches of Synthwave and Vapourwave. A breezy cruiser fit for the cities night lights. I could continue with my praises. Only mid track Bad Friend landed sour. Its spacey, Ethereal Electropop aesthetics feel lost on its own topicality, a "woe is me" self pity anthem. Conjuring the hurt of relationship wounds, its confessions of wrong doing seem a strange fit for its mood. An odd one but aptly fitting of the overall theme, a self oriented set of expressions felt direct with plain, connecting language that rarely feels deeper than its straight forward nature.

A stunning debut, Sawayama plays front to back like a seasoned musician reveling in creative strides. The music is effortless, exploring all curiosities seamlessly, avoiding an "eclectic" label despite clearly fitting that frame. All ideas explored simply click into place. Many of these ideas hail back to the early 00s, the years of my youth. Frank references to MSN messenger amused me greatly, I remember those Windows XP days with distain but the music has always been a consistent source of meaning. Its no surprise this record resonated with me. I haven't put it down for months!

Rating: 9/10

Wargasm "Venom" (2023)

 

With refined stylistic focus, Wargasm return, honing in on their own antagonizing identity. With additional ferocity, the spirit of a Nu Metal revival is in the air. With Venom, a consistent streak of Gold Cobra era Wes Borland guitar riffs guides their Electro-Punk mania to gratifying bursts of aggression. The duo strip out the genres tired downtrodden spirit, infusing it with obnoxious club drums, dizzying studio manipulations and generalized chaos. Underpinned by an enthused energy fit for the stage, most these cuts play with visions of them tearing it up in front of a lively crowd.

Fred Durst shows up for a massive, bouncy collaboration, making influences clear and known. Its a fantastic endorsement. These big riff songs tend to be the standouts. A string of early tracks lacked these guitar elements and it didn't land the same. When the unhinged rage and jilted grooves collide, this pair are in their element. Later in the record the metallic side gets explored in varying intensities to great enjoyment. I've enjoyed Venom immensely but I'm keen to see them mature and take these ideas further.

Rating: 7/10

Wargasm "Explicit: The Mixxxtape" (2022)

 

Despite grinding out familiar roars of disgruntled anger, this rebellious, antagonistic duo known as Wargasm, might be one of the fresher breaths of air circulating in a stale Metal community. Underneath its chaotic veneer, the fundamentals may have more in common with the likes of The Prodigy and Aggro-Tech. A constant barrage of unsettled, gritty noise pummels through lively drum machines, sharp distortion guitars, rabid screams and screeching electronics. A fun jumble of unabashed offerings.

 The opening explanation of an all too obvious pun the name is feels redundant. The following five tracks never let up on its ceaseless energy. Gristly lulls and melodic breaks feel like soft dressing for the next moment of madness. Fiery outbreaks of crammed aesthetic erupt on every track, gratifying ensembles of noisy oddities and groovy riffs to latch upon. Tinged with hints of Rap and Nu Metal, its my cup of tea.

The pair do all production themselves. Either an individuals vision or fruits of bouncing ideas of one another, the chaotic webs of wrangled aesthetics they weave are wonderfully unhinged, yet latch onto something that clicks most of the time.

Matlock provides the consistent barrage of angered shouts. Way is a touch understated as an effeminate yet mischievous counterpart. Her presence is similar to Poppy and when in a melodic passage, offers an under explored dimension of their partnership. Wargasm are exciting, this short release is a decent appetizer.

Rating: 5/10

Mnemic "Passenger" (2007)

 
Laying the ground work for this post, yesterday I wrote of The Audio Injected Soul, a now timeless record from the latter of my formative years. Their follow up, Passenger, was passed up upon release. All I recall was a dismissal based on the departure of Michael Bøgballe. Now a maturer listener, I venture back with an open mind.

My first observation was one of confusion. Bøgballe's replacement, Guillaume Bideau, has such similar tone and demeanor that he could be mistaken for the same guy. Singing with mirrored intensities, rhythmic cadences, dropping in snarls and quirky shouts akin to the record prior, he lands a seamless transition for the band.

Passenger can never compete with the immortality of youth. My growing familiarity with this record yields the same emotive stimulus though. At this stage, the iron is still hot for Mnemic, forging another array of chaotic fusions. Chugging jolted grooves collide with passionate dystopian melody across a post-industrial wasteland.

Playing with a touch more sludgy rhythm and distorted dissonance in the low end, the albums production admittedly sounds aesthetically like a minor step back. The prior tightness is lacking, its mostly the drums that feel looser. Guitars lean more towards aggression with a notable tilt in sharp edged riffs and slabs of shunting power chord noise. It aids an overall flavor that doesn't steer far from their established identity.

I'm going to continue chewing through these songs but so far a couple of favorites have emerged, usually where flushes of color and lead guitar compliment a song. Carcass's Jeff Walker drops brief but fantastic demented snarls onto Psykorgasm. Passenger doesn't pull any big surprises but competently builds on what they were known for. I'm gutted we passed this one up, these songs could have easily stuck too.

Rating: 7/10

Mnemic "The Audio Injected Soul" (2004)

 
Here lies an ecstatic throw back to the days of youth. Discovered through Nuclear Blast Records magazine, this Danish outfit captivated our attentions with rhythmic grooves adjacent to Meshuggah's records of the time. Residing in the infancy before Djent took on its current sanitized form, Menmic's gritty Industrial polish and flashes of electronic textures morphed them into a memorable metallic beast.

Born in the hangover of Groove and Nu Metal, roaring shunted riffs collide against subtly dystopian melodic leads in search of new ground. I recall this particular scene once being referred to as "Future Fusion Metal" but despite the endless iterations of sub-genre, this name never took hold. One can hear echos of Melodic Death Metal and Industrial Metal but its most notable distinction are the elasticated "poly-rhythmic" guitar arrangements that make for frequent headbangers break outs. Chunky assaults on the fretboard that frequently flirt with a choppy, charactered ferocity.

The band don't overstate any component but weave together its most aggressive assignments and tuneful tangents. These arrangements emerge chopped and changed, not through complexity but variety. The pace at which an average track cycles through its sections is refreshing. It gives them character, as its swings and sways feel unpredictable, even after the album has been etched into ones memory.

Its offering can't be overstated, a fantastic range of soaring melodies to rhythmic slabs of low end force, melding through a creativity that never felt forced or intentional. The bellowing roars of front man Bøgballe often illuminates the energetic trajectory the instrumentals traverse. It could be passion of youth but I think this record is a lost gem, a cracking collection of momentous songs that any fan of Metal could find a favorite among its ten lean cuts. Still a favorite after all these years...

Rating: 9/10

Code Orange "The Above" (2023)

My own unrivaled excitement for this release has manifested into a glum disappointment tainting The Above. Their previous outing, Underneath, set high expectations. The glitched out dystopian mania shook up a violent foundation, breathing new life into a genre where fresh territory is hard to find. Partially recoiling from such brutal intensities, the band intermingle a reinvention of 90s nostalgia.

Most prominent, their typical approach to Hardcore brutality seem skewed towards Nu Metal. The most aggressive riffs deploy the dissonance and syncopation flavors of that era with a subtlety that blunts its edge. Trademark manic spurts of chaos groan with the downtrodden vibes of a once ridiculed genre. Their tight technical execution absent in favor of this loose, dirty, moody aesthetic inspired by past trends.

Subtly woven in, the texture of Grunge and Alternative Metal has its moments too. On The Above, the band weave through a fair set of intensities and ideals but little about the record feels like a cohesive vision. More so, an exploration of loosely connected ideas drawing from the decades various styles. Some songs step into radio rock friendly verse chorus exchanges, others meander through an arsenal of riffs.

Reba Meyers gets to offer more of her voice, sometimes accompanied by string sections, yet the step into new territory feels off. Mirror is a redeeming experiment. Its unusual Trip-Hop beat seems to aid the songs swell of emotion. Other than that, the record offers little I wanted to come back too. Its angsty downtrodden inspirational origins did manifest with uniqueness. It was just not too my taste sadly.

 Rating: 5/10

Narrow Head "Satisfaction" (2016)

 When invited to indulge with music so apt to ones taste, it can be a tricky task to pull on the threads of its magic. After being spoiled with a refined and mature, White Pony inspired Moments Of Clarity, what I thought might be a blemished origin story, seems settled with an endearing rawness. On arrival, the dense, muffled guitar tone and crunchy baselines take a moment to adjust too. This seems like an amateurish first outing yet when Duarte's voice drifts into focus, dreamy, like a mirage coming to pass in a moment, It all clicks into place. What then unravels is simply a string of treasures.

Aching with shoegazing aesthetic wonder, punching in sharp percussive grooves and often aligning on the power of the riff, strong Grunge and Nu Metal persuasions are woven in between an energized ethereal haze of crooning distortion and swooned sleepy singing. Unafraid of hard grooves or dreary acoustics washed in reverbs, their degrees of intensity are always met with inspiration. These songs play with purpose, direction and immediacy, through direct song structures that get straight to the meat.

Its all killer, no filler, with eleven songs to pick favorites as the many takes on groove, guitar noise, melody and aesthetics explores classic 90s ideals. Despite coming reasonably close on occasion, it avoids any plagiarism with a lot of its influences manifesting in enthusiasm, energy and awe. Personally, I found its ability to grip for thirty six minutes fascinating. A sense of coming persists and no idea outstays its welcome. Best of all, firing up the record for a spin and adjusting to that thick, rumbling, dense wall of sound on Necrosis gets me every time. 

Rating: 8/10

Various Artists "Loud Rocks" (2000)

 

Here's one for my youth! Loud Rocks is a Hip Hop & Metal crossover record I'm somewhat flabbergasted to have not discovered years back. Release around the peak of aggression in the millennium music scene, dictated largely by MTV, it features popular Nu Metal bands and Rap artists collaborating in varying shades of success and failure. I'd actually heard a few of these from the Napster mp3 trading days, for example Wu-Tang Clan linking up with System Of A Down and Tom Morello to perform their songs in a metallic context. How I'd not learned of the record is beyond me.

The brief 90s Rap and Nu Metal collision was a strange affair yet the holly grail of my youth... If done right, a rare occurrence. I think the crown might belong to Cypress Hill with the second, metallic, half of Skull & Bones. Most other crossovers are novel and occasionally decent but Loud Rocks mostly seems conceived to serve a niche through remixing Rap tracks, often giving the stems to an artist to re-arrange and work in metallic elements. I think Wu-Tang are the only exception, however the remix of one of their finest tracks, For Heaven's Sake, is handed over to Black Sabbath for a strange mix of two sounds that clash awkwardly with sudden eruptions of dense distortion guitars and Ozzy singing that simply cannot resolve to the mood of its rap verses.

Xzibit seems to have the most success. Something about his tone and cadence mixes well with guitars. His songs too have a meaner demeanor allowing the original samples to blend. Far from fantastic yet hearing Sevendust and Endo scream out his chorus hooks had a little gratification. Hardcore legends Sick Of It All bring an interesting touch to the Mobb Deep sound, however its sense of rhythm often looses the lyrical cadence. Everlast reworking Shook Ones Part II might be the albums one solid track, however it plays more like a moodier incarnation than anything metallic.

With the Rap Metal era being so disliked, this record will sound like trash to most. My observations on its various chemistries were simply a vent on my curiosities. I wanted this long forgotten musical movement to work out so bad, however the reality is very little of it did. Discovering another piece of the picture will always be a delight for me, even if the fruits of collaboration were far and few between. In the case of Loud Rocks, it mostly feels forced to serve an audience. A fun listen but I'll move on swiftly.

Rating: 4/10

Narrow Head "Moments Of Clarity" (2023)

 

Herein lies another nostalgia bend, or so I thought on first glance. Hailing from Dallas, these Texan's reach thirty years back for inspiration and aesthetics. The unmistakable influence of Deftones dominates as they plunder the Grunge, Alternative Metal and Shoegazing scenes of past to re-imagine the period. Moments Of Clairty was initially easy to dismiss for its lack of originality. A few obvious gems held it over for more spins, then with each try I found it harder to put down. Underneath its rosy tinted veneer lies some fundamentally decent songwriting that kept me engaged.

The records architecture revolves on effective riffs. Steeped in Shoegaze distortion, unraveled with a little Nu Metal syncopation, its sharp grooves hit with rhythm and endear with fuzzy tinges of color creeping out of its warm distortions. Overhead sings Jacob Duarte, who glues the music with tender vocals. On first impressions they seem a little timid, reaching without power. With familiarity, they become a focal charm. What melody he squeezes out goes a long way to make the songs memorable.

He aids a quiet loud dynamic, offering a comfy withdrawal from the harder aggressions brooding on guitars. Their songs play out in degrees, learning into acoustics, fuzzy guitar textures and bouncy groove riffs. Many a page comes pulled from the Deftones playbook. Less often Smashing Pumpkins with lead guitars and singing. Despite the obvious idiosyncrasies, it endures! However track eight, The World, cannot hide its My Bloody Valentine origins. Too obvious yet a good song.

Originality felt reserved until its closing moment. A touch of Industrial drive creeps in as a very 90s drum machine loop sets pace for Soft To Touch. The fuzzed out droning guitar that swirls around it, along with Duarte's vulnerable singing has all three components feeling vastly alien. Somehow it crafts a memorable song with the unique atmosphere. Flesh & Solitude has a little Industrial edge too, its whipping snare sample locks in a stiff marching drive. It however, yields to obvious influences again.

Moments Of Clairty is fantastic nostalgic ride for a fan of these ideas and this era. Its songs are solid and lasting. A little more uniqueness could of pushed it over the edge, finding freshness among old ideals. As it stands, practically no musical moment doesn't echo something heard on other records before. Its nearly a distasteful affair. Fortunately these influences are wielded skillfully, satisfaction its destination.

Rating: 7/10

Mudvayne "Lost And Found" (2005)

  

Despite being released beyond the swift decline of Nu Metal's popularity, Lost And Found stands as the groups best selling album, charting well on debut. Its a detail I don't think reflects the quality of music within. Mudvayne arrive worn out, stripped of Progressive Metal tendencies, relying on simplistic riffs and their personal aesthetics. It bares their character but lacks enthusiasm. Songs drone by in routine, syncopated riffs playing out with little relation to the passing screams and shouts of Chad Gray.

These tracks lack the challenge and intrigue proposed prior. A lone song, IMN, infringes on their past genius. Bold baselines and polygrooves but it too dulls as the band can't seem to conjure the maniacal, frantic energy once heard bustling on L.D. 50. On occasion the tone dips with horrendous choruses, chiming "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe". Another recycling Disturbed's cries of "I don't wanna be" over and over again.

As my brief remarks indicate, this album suffers its own futility. Unable to make a lasting impression beyond the forgettable nature of its mediocrity and a few sore spots, it somehow houses the bands most popular track Happy? This song has enough punch and gusto to stand heads and shoulders apart in the runtime but still seems weak in comparison to what was achieved on their first two records.

Rating: 4/10

Mudvayne "The End Of All Things To Come" (2002)

 

Following up on L.D. 50, here is another "what could have been" record of my Nu Metal era youth. I vividly remember a close friend showing off the album art and raving about the music. Of course Not Falling is now somewhat of a downtrodden metallic anthem. One for Millennials needing to wallowing in ones woes. Its a powerful but moody song, flexing between aggression, torment and loathing indulgences. Like their classic Dig, it builds to a fiery release of tension, unleashed with half of a bouncy groove still holding on to its grievances, never quite going all the way in.

The End Of All Things To Come was a surprising maturing of ideals expressed last time. Thoughtfully channeling the syncopation to impactful riffs, toning down the overt Korn influences, this cloudy chromatic aesthetic edges out more from Gray. He finds a range of unique strains on his vocal chords to fire frictions and contrasts with the de-saturated texture his band forges. The rhythm section has power in force, chopping out grooves while melodic outbursts seem sullen and rainy in muted vibrancy.

Considering its sixty nine minutes long, the record lacks bloat. A real sense of care surrounds these songs, traversing a broader multitude of ideas with refined craft and expressive intent. It's a subtle shift away from the bouncy boom of Nu Metal, a further exploration of Jazz and Progressive musical ideas. Tribbet's guitar riffs often slam simple rhythms housed in different time signatures. Backed by the creative drive of drummer McDonough and dexterous musicality of bassist Martinie, it plays a delight.

Moments of expansive percussion, utilizing tom atmospheric drums, hazy looping guitar leads and progressive song structures, alluded that Tool were likely a keen influence on the band at this time. This retrospective has given much appreciation for a band I once considered just part of the fad. Mudvayne have much more to offer than typical Nu Metal bands, this record really defines their creativity and uniqueness. I know things take a turn from here, to stay on this path could of really been something!

Rating: 8.5/10

Helmet "Aftertaste" (1997)

 

Lured to Betty by Spotify's auto-play, I thought a follow up on Helmets final output before a later reunion was due. By fans and critics alike, Aftertaste wasn't well received at the time. Its a mild affair but personally I've enjoyed this one. Harking back to their roots, Helmet pump out a rather stripped down, straightforward rendition of syncopated Drop D riffs alternating on shimmering shoe-gazing chords.

Effective and simple drum grooves build an easy framework for each song to deliver a handful of riffs that rarely venture beyond a few bars. Shuffling back and forth with monotone vocals overhead, It gets repetitious fast. Their songwriting finds little in the way of "special" or ambition, its just simplistic structures playing out their basic ideas.

Its all about aesthetic, If the mold matches your taste, then its worth a spin or two. Beyond that, I'm not sure much else can be found. Occasional compositions resonate well, poking its head above the mediocrity on display. For example, the opening riff of Broadcast Emotion melds a grooving riff with hazy texture wonderfully! On the other hand, its crass guitar solo not on the same level. This record is really for fans of Helmet, beyond serving that crowd, there is little to be said about the music.

Rating: 6/10

Mudvayne "L.D. 50" (2000)

 

As typical a Nu Metal band could get, somehow the depths of Mudvayne's debut record eluded me in my youth. No one could escape the maniacal assisted suicide anthem of Dig, a classic of the genre. Familiar with it, Death Blooms and a few others, I decided the deep dive was in order! Having now binged its downtrodden frustrations these past few weeks, I've unearthed a simultaneously intelligent and trope riddled record. Primarily just a curiosity for the times, I've enjoyed its offerings immensely.

Talking of tropes, the influence of Korn is undeniable. Obviously, syncopated guitars and the angsty, moody tone but more notably does Chad Gray emulate many of the quirky antics and painful inflections Jonathan Davis defined. It stands in contrast to his furious screams and vulnerably endearing clean singing that offers a refreshing individuality. He melds well with his fellow band mates, as musicians, they are clearly a step above their contemporaries when it comes to ability and creative execution.

A big takeaway from the attentive ears of a now seasoned listener is the technicality. Mudvayne were clearly flirting with ideas from Technical Death Metal, Jazz and polyrhythms. Bassist Ryan Martinie routinely counteracts the simplicity of dropped guitar riffs. With elegant, yet complicated finger work, high octave chord strikes and purposeful dissonance, a delight is revealed. His presence textures the music, adding dimension and stripping out dulling repetition where song structures retread riffs.

Also toying with time signatures and more ambitious syncopation, quite often will one hear brief echos of Meshuggah as stabbing guitar riffs jostle with unusual rhythms. This along with calmer moments, delivered by cold shimmering acoustic guitars, amount to a solid formation. On its journey, the ideas explored abridge Nu Metal with more musicality while compromising nothing. The result is a very distinctive sound, easy to cast aside by its tropes yet under the hood a trove of aggressive wonder.

With a depth of inspiration unfolding, L.D. 50 plays sweet and steady. Broken up by a handful of zany, ambiguous electronic interludes, its relentless metallic march is bridged to reinforce a maniacal tension even present in theme. So too do core songs offer occasional instrumental explorations Progressive and atmospheric in nature. With all these elements firing strong, its sixty eight minutes play exciting from front to back. I'm walking away from this astonished, the bands reputation deserves more.

Rating: 8.5/10

Helmet "Betty" (1994)

 

To discover Helmet, is to learn of the bridge between Grunge and Nu Metal. Familiar with their classic Meantime, Betty drew me in after Spotify's auto-play kept spinning I Know. The rhythm laden kick snare groove it opens held uncanny resemblance to Deftones' Around The Fur. The following loitering Shoegaze guitar chords present a striking affirmation of influence on yet another Nu Metal era band. These drifting, hazy, fuzzed out riffs seem seminal to the Deftones sound, leading me to wonder what else the record offered. Between the expectant roll out of syncopated Drop D riffs, dense and hazy showgaze aesthetics conjure a little atmosphere to counteract its grungy metallic stiffness. Its a warm, bold tone, lacking any lean to the dark or light and driven by competent percussive kick snare grooves. Bustling with choppy riffs, they routinely veer into that hazy texture. The back and forth is pleasant and undemanding.

Its other distinction was surprisingly that of Primus. Just a couple of songs venture into the bizarre oddities that their breed of the short lived Funk Metal established a few years prior. Its quite obvious, cheeky baselines, discerning noises and comical vocals break the sound suddenly. It works but lacks originality and serves to spice up an otherwise narrow sound as there is little to be found in the way of expansive song writing or progressive ambitions. This is straight riffs and Hamilton's meager cleans and reaching shouts tend to simply accommodate rather than spear on any energy. He definitely chimes better with the Shoegazing sections but doesn't feel like a key component of this simple syncopated style that would go on to influence so many bands. Betty is a really solid record, a firm execution of simple and effective ideas.
 

Rating: 7/10