Jom
12-08-2004, 01:32 AM
Hailing from Cleveland, Mushroomhead's follow-up to "XX" (not counting their many EPs), "XIII," is a more intense assault coupled with some masterful ballads. People give this band a bad rap because of the costume-donning, but the music is so much more important than image, and it's a shame that people do not give them a legitimate shot. Yes, the Slipknot/Mushroomhead argument is well-documented, but the two bands are unrelated. I cannot stress this enough! Anyway, onward:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/frozeninshadows/MX%20album%20covers/mrhxiii.jpg
Mushroomhead "were" (J-Mann left the band sometime after recording):
Nothing- vocals (usually sung)
J-Mann - vocals (usually rawer and screamed)
Gravy- guitar
Bronson- guitar
Pig Benis- bass
DJ Stitch- samples
Skinny- drums
Shmotz- keyboards
The tracklist:
1. Kill Tomorrow
2. Sun Doesn't Rise
3. Mother Machine Gun
4. Nowhere to Go
5. Becoming Cold (216)
6. One More Day
7. The Dream is Over
8. The War Inside
9. Almost Gone
10. Eternal
11. Our Own Way
12. Destroy the World Around Me
13. Thirteen (includes hidden track "Crazy" at the end)
A brief synopsis of the album (abridged and taken from site):
To their credit, Mushroomhead never resort to cheap shock tactics for effect. Exhibit A: there's not one expletive on the entire album. "That speaks volumes about our singers' abilities," says Skinny. "They can convey these really dark images and powerful ideas without making things seem overly literal or too abrasive. We don't want to spell everything out for people. You have to let listeners apply the music to their lives as they need to apply it." Mushroomhead have always been outsiders pursuing their own unique vision. Listeners who've previously judged the band based on its theatrical stage show and over-the-top appearance are advised to leave preconceptions at the door.
Alright, onward to the song-by-song review:
1. Kill Tomorrow: the album starts off with crunching power chords and intricate cymbal work. Nothing begins a pre-verse line, then J-Mann tears into a rap-like verse with pounding double bass supporting him. Chorus features both singers, and the guitar lines. Nothing sings "While we pay the price we take, kill tomorrow yesterday" for the chorus. All guitar and bass work is great, the double bass is intense, and the dual singers pull the song off well. A great opening track. Score: 4.5/5
2. Sun Doesn't Rise: the single from the album. Percussion, guitar line, and keyboards begin the intro, Nothing begins with the verse, then J-Mann carries into the rest of the verses and pre-chorus. Nothing sings chorus ("Sun doesn't rise at all, who knows how far I'll fall... welcome my downfall"). Second verse is Nothing starting a line with J-Mann answering him. Keyboards and drums are excellent. Guitar and bass also done well, the outro ends the song nicely ("I can feel my faith, can't recall my crime, damaged in our own way, alone in our own way, desolate highway"). Score: 4.75/5
3. Mother Machine Gun: nice keyboard intro gives way to crunching guitar riffs and J-Mann's vocals. Nothing offers a few lines, then J-Mann proclaims to "Interrogate the truth until you hear what you like." Nothing and J-Mann alternate lines over palm-muted guitar lines. Sampling is heard clearly for the first time on the album in the chorus. Bridge slows down, then J-Mann offers more raspy lines. Drums are average, bass is good. Outro ends with keyboard and sampling. Score: 4.25/5
4. Nowhere to Go: Mid-temp riff and sampling starts the song, then slows down to just percussion, keyboard, and Nothing's vocals. In this song, Nothing is the primary vocalist with J-Mann offered muffled, spoken vocals. It's done extremely well. The song noticeably builds as J-Mann returns to normal form. Nothing sings of "an early grave to pour my heart away, to start a new day... with nowhere to go" with pounding tom and snare driving the song until the chorus and J-Mann offering spoken word while Nothing sings. A very unique track, with all members contributing noticeably. Score: 4/5
5. Becoming Cold (216): some notes from the previous track carry over to this track, triplet blasts on the bass drum and sampling start the song off intensely. Nothing offers a few lines, then J-Mann offers his standard raspy lines. Song is driven by both vocalists, double bass, and the guitar lines. The song drags on a little long, but it's still a good track. Score: 3.75/5
6. One More Day: this song is beautiful. Starts off with a single palm-muted eighth note riff with a piano melody that carries throughout the song. J-Mann is nowhere to be heard on the song, and a woman named Devon Gorman takes his place. She gives the song an atmospheric dimension to go along with the piano melody and an orchestra-esque sound (it briefly reminds me of the Forest Temple from Ocarina of Time for the first few notes). The keyboard really stands out in this song, as do the two vocalists. Bass and guitars take a somewhat-back seat, but they play still play an integral part as the supporting instruments. Score: 5/5
7. The Dream is Over: the most intense song on here, a complete change of tempo from the previous track. This time, J-Mann is the only vocalist on the track, with a heavy guitar riff and pounding double bass. Mini guitar fills that separate the verses are a good touch, the other palm-muted guitar riffs drive the song along with the double bass. The bridge is the best aspect of the song ("Rise up from the ashes, rethink my beliefs, the world rusts on its axis as my heart pleads for relief..."). It's a little out of place, but the song is constantly intense with J-Mann's vocals and double bass. Score: 4.25/5
8. The War Inside: J-Mann starts with some whispered vocals (reminiscent of songs like "Bwomp") with some supporting instruments, then the verses get an intense double bass and snare pounding with Nothing singing them. J-Mann again offers his raspy vocals. It's a short song, clocking in at less than 3:00, but it is a furious song with undying energy. Double bass work is relentless, and the dual vocalists feed off each other. Bass and guitar lines are standard. Score: 4/5
9. Almost Gone: engine-rev sample leads to a percussion intro with guitar. Nothing sings the verses and chorus, with J-Mann whispering "Push it all away" as the ending line of the chorus. Short bass fill from Benis at about 1:10 is simplistic but fits well. J-Mann explodes in the bridge, the ending lines being "Ashes to ashes, gas cans and matches, the burbon buries all the memories, anything to wash it all away..." The outro is the same intense blast. Bass shines in this song, especially in the outro. Score: 4/5
10. Eternal: Double bass and J-Mann shouts start the song with pounding snare and tom work. Lyrically, the song is simple. The drumming is fierce, but J-Mann is overly raspy in this song. Nothing exhibits a high range (I can't believe anything you say..."). Guitar work is palm-muted mostly save for the chorus. Bridge is pretty steady double bass. Average song, not a standout. Score: 3/5
11. Our Own Way: excellent clean guitar and keyboard intro, with some bass supporting the melody. Vocals enter at about the 0:30 mark with Nothing's vocals, which touch on life being confusing and having conflicting thoughts. J-Mann appears at the bridge in typical raspy shouts of "Arise!" and lines such as "The traitors all await your final fall, the curtain call." Song drags out with some extended instrumentation and more shouts of "Arise!" The intro is done well, but the song could have ended sooner. Mini piano solo at the end was a nice closing, though. Score: 4/5
12. Destroy the World Around Me: This is the mini-epic of the album, clocking in at 8:21. The first few moments are orchestra-like that gradually builds and builds. The song then develops into a marching-esque rhythm with J-Mann vocals. Palm-muted backing guitar riff is machinegun-esque. The song has a political theme to it. J-Mann's line of "Let freedom ring" followed by a bell is an intense moment of the song. Nothing's vocals are moving, answered by J-Mann's spoken word, as if it sounds like it's coming out of a megaphone. An interesting touch, and it's pretty haunting. The song slowly decrescendos and crescendos with some minor guitar soloing and atmospheric sampling and keyboard work. The song has a last final build-up at the 8:00 mark, then ends instantly. A pretty intense finish. If you are a fan of mini-epic nu metal songs, then this is a must listen. Score: 5/5
13. Thirteen: instrumental, with a baby. Then silence... until about 5:25, where Mushroomhead cover Seal's "Crazy." It's an excellent cover. J-Mann covers the "Lost and crazy" vocals, bridge, and outro, with Nothing taking care of the verses and choruses. The bass, percussion (again, the double bass, especially in the chorus), and guitars sound awesome, as does the keyboard and sampling. Again, an excellent cover that doesn't get obliterated by a nu metal band, unlike some other examples (KoRn comes to mind. Don't hate, but it is true). First 5:25 score: N/A Cover: 5/5
Pros: Mushroomhead pull off the dual vocalist shtick well, their instrumentation is excellent, especially the drummer. The song delivers heaviness coupled with softer songs. It's the best album to see if you'd like to add them to your collection, and they're easily accessible because, like mentioned in the bio, there isn't a single expletive. The mini-epic "Destroy the World Around Me" is outstanding, as is the cover of Seal's "Crazy."
Cons: Pig Benis isn't heard as often as he was in the other albums. J-Mann's vocals sound too coarse in some songs, but he is since out of the band to pursue other goals.
Overall: 4.3/5
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/frozeninshadows/MX%20album%20covers/mrhxiii.jpg
Mushroomhead "were" (J-Mann left the band sometime after recording):
Nothing- vocals (usually sung)
J-Mann - vocals (usually rawer and screamed)
Gravy- guitar
Bronson- guitar
Pig Benis- bass
DJ Stitch- samples
Skinny- drums
Shmotz- keyboards
The tracklist:
1. Kill Tomorrow
2. Sun Doesn't Rise
3. Mother Machine Gun
4. Nowhere to Go
5. Becoming Cold (216)
6. One More Day
7. The Dream is Over
8. The War Inside
9. Almost Gone
10. Eternal
11. Our Own Way
12. Destroy the World Around Me
13. Thirteen (includes hidden track "Crazy" at the end)
A brief synopsis of the album (abridged and taken from site):
To their credit, Mushroomhead never resort to cheap shock tactics for effect. Exhibit A: there's not one expletive on the entire album. "That speaks volumes about our singers' abilities," says Skinny. "They can convey these really dark images and powerful ideas without making things seem overly literal or too abrasive. We don't want to spell everything out for people. You have to let listeners apply the music to their lives as they need to apply it." Mushroomhead have always been outsiders pursuing their own unique vision. Listeners who've previously judged the band based on its theatrical stage show and over-the-top appearance are advised to leave preconceptions at the door.
Alright, onward to the song-by-song review:
1. Kill Tomorrow: the album starts off with crunching power chords and intricate cymbal work. Nothing begins a pre-verse line, then J-Mann tears into a rap-like verse with pounding double bass supporting him. Chorus features both singers, and the guitar lines. Nothing sings "While we pay the price we take, kill tomorrow yesterday" for the chorus. All guitar and bass work is great, the double bass is intense, and the dual singers pull the song off well. A great opening track. Score: 4.5/5
2. Sun Doesn't Rise: the single from the album. Percussion, guitar line, and keyboards begin the intro, Nothing begins with the verse, then J-Mann carries into the rest of the verses and pre-chorus. Nothing sings chorus ("Sun doesn't rise at all, who knows how far I'll fall... welcome my downfall"). Second verse is Nothing starting a line with J-Mann answering him. Keyboards and drums are excellent. Guitar and bass also done well, the outro ends the song nicely ("I can feel my faith, can't recall my crime, damaged in our own way, alone in our own way, desolate highway"). Score: 4.75/5
3. Mother Machine Gun: nice keyboard intro gives way to crunching guitar riffs and J-Mann's vocals. Nothing offers a few lines, then J-Mann proclaims to "Interrogate the truth until you hear what you like." Nothing and J-Mann alternate lines over palm-muted guitar lines. Sampling is heard clearly for the first time on the album in the chorus. Bridge slows down, then J-Mann offers more raspy lines. Drums are average, bass is good. Outro ends with keyboard and sampling. Score: 4.25/5
4. Nowhere to Go: Mid-temp riff and sampling starts the song, then slows down to just percussion, keyboard, and Nothing's vocals. In this song, Nothing is the primary vocalist with J-Mann offered muffled, spoken vocals. It's done extremely well. The song noticeably builds as J-Mann returns to normal form. Nothing sings of "an early grave to pour my heart away, to start a new day... with nowhere to go" with pounding tom and snare driving the song until the chorus and J-Mann offering spoken word while Nothing sings. A very unique track, with all members contributing noticeably. Score: 4/5
5. Becoming Cold (216): some notes from the previous track carry over to this track, triplet blasts on the bass drum and sampling start the song off intensely. Nothing offers a few lines, then J-Mann offers his standard raspy lines. Song is driven by both vocalists, double bass, and the guitar lines. The song drags on a little long, but it's still a good track. Score: 3.75/5
6. One More Day: this song is beautiful. Starts off with a single palm-muted eighth note riff with a piano melody that carries throughout the song. J-Mann is nowhere to be heard on the song, and a woman named Devon Gorman takes his place. She gives the song an atmospheric dimension to go along with the piano melody and an orchestra-esque sound (it briefly reminds me of the Forest Temple from Ocarina of Time for the first few notes). The keyboard really stands out in this song, as do the two vocalists. Bass and guitars take a somewhat-back seat, but they play still play an integral part as the supporting instruments. Score: 5/5
7. The Dream is Over: the most intense song on here, a complete change of tempo from the previous track. This time, J-Mann is the only vocalist on the track, with a heavy guitar riff and pounding double bass. Mini guitar fills that separate the verses are a good touch, the other palm-muted guitar riffs drive the song along with the double bass. The bridge is the best aspect of the song ("Rise up from the ashes, rethink my beliefs, the world rusts on its axis as my heart pleads for relief..."). It's a little out of place, but the song is constantly intense with J-Mann's vocals and double bass. Score: 4.25/5
8. The War Inside: J-Mann starts with some whispered vocals (reminiscent of songs like "Bwomp") with some supporting instruments, then the verses get an intense double bass and snare pounding with Nothing singing them. J-Mann again offers his raspy vocals. It's a short song, clocking in at less than 3:00, but it is a furious song with undying energy. Double bass work is relentless, and the dual vocalists feed off each other. Bass and guitar lines are standard. Score: 4/5
9. Almost Gone: engine-rev sample leads to a percussion intro with guitar. Nothing sings the verses and chorus, with J-Mann whispering "Push it all away" as the ending line of the chorus. Short bass fill from Benis at about 1:10 is simplistic but fits well. J-Mann explodes in the bridge, the ending lines being "Ashes to ashes, gas cans and matches, the burbon buries all the memories, anything to wash it all away..." The outro is the same intense blast. Bass shines in this song, especially in the outro. Score: 4/5
10. Eternal: Double bass and J-Mann shouts start the song with pounding snare and tom work. Lyrically, the song is simple. The drumming is fierce, but J-Mann is overly raspy in this song. Nothing exhibits a high range (I can't believe anything you say..."). Guitar work is palm-muted mostly save for the chorus. Bridge is pretty steady double bass. Average song, not a standout. Score: 3/5
11. Our Own Way: excellent clean guitar and keyboard intro, with some bass supporting the melody. Vocals enter at about the 0:30 mark with Nothing's vocals, which touch on life being confusing and having conflicting thoughts. J-Mann appears at the bridge in typical raspy shouts of "Arise!" and lines such as "The traitors all await your final fall, the curtain call." Song drags out with some extended instrumentation and more shouts of "Arise!" The intro is done well, but the song could have ended sooner. Mini piano solo at the end was a nice closing, though. Score: 4/5
12. Destroy the World Around Me: This is the mini-epic of the album, clocking in at 8:21. The first few moments are orchestra-like that gradually builds and builds. The song then develops into a marching-esque rhythm with J-Mann vocals. Palm-muted backing guitar riff is machinegun-esque. The song has a political theme to it. J-Mann's line of "Let freedom ring" followed by a bell is an intense moment of the song. Nothing's vocals are moving, answered by J-Mann's spoken word, as if it sounds like it's coming out of a megaphone. An interesting touch, and it's pretty haunting. The song slowly decrescendos and crescendos with some minor guitar soloing and atmospheric sampling and keyboard work. The song has a last final build-up at the 8:00 mark, then ends instantly. A pretty intense finish. If you are a fan of mini-epic nu metal songs, then this is a must listen. Score: 5/5
13. Thirteen: instrumental, with a baby. Then silence... until about 5:25, where Mushroomhead cover Seal's "Crazy." It's an excellent cover. J-Mann covers the "Lost and crazy" vocals, bridge, and outro, with Nothing taking care of the verses and choruses. The bass, percussion (again, the double bass, especially in the chorus), and guitars sound awesome, as does the keyboard and sampling. Again, an excellent cover that doesn't get obliterated by a nu metal band, unlike some other examples (KoRn comes to mind. Don't hate, but it is true). First 5:25 score: N/A Cover: 5/5
Pros: Mushroomhead pull off the dual vocalist shtick well, their instrumentation is excellent, especially the drummer. The song delivers heaviness coupled with softer songs. It's the best album to see if you'd like to add them to your collection, and they're easily accessible because, like mentioned in the bio, there isn't a single expletive. The mini-epic "Destroy the World Around Me" is outstanding, as is the cover of Seal's "Crazy."
Cons: Pig Benis isn't heard as often as he was in the other albums. J-Mann's vocals sound too coarse in some songs, but he is since out of the band to pursue other goals.
Overall: 4.3/5