Review Summary: A great underground album from the 90s, before the media took control over everything.
I was surprised this album did not have a review on it so I thought I would do one. Mushroomhead is a Industrial Metal (some say Nu-Metal), band from Cleveland Ohio that was started as a eight-man band. They were known greatly around the Cleveland scene but were pretty much underground anywhere else. As the 90's came, a new band called Slipknot would be criticized as stealing their appearence (masks, uniforms and so on), this would put Mushroomhead more out into the public as people argued who started it all. Personally, wearing make-up and masks on stage started before both of them. Anyways, here's my review on this album.
Superbuick is Mushroomhead's second album that was released on their own along with producer Bill Korecky. It was released in 1996 and then repressed with their self titled album and M3, which are very hard find but online or at their shows. Superbuick is a full album consisting of eleven songs and about 47 minutes in length total. The album holds songs like Bwomp, Never Let It Go and These Filthy Hands that were later released their album XX and songs that were released only on Superbuick.
Mushroomhead is consisted of two vocals, Jeffrey Nothing that sings clean with a very almost grunge-like, raspy voice and Jmann that is the screamer the backs Nothing up. This album is a very underground sound, that mixes Industrial Metal with what almost sounds like electro effects. Guitars done by J.J. Righteous and Dinner mix as one guitar with very heavy riffs and blend together very well. There are no huge solos or shredding, but just the heaviness of the guitars give the songs a powerful sound. The whole album relies on keyboardest Shmotz and other effects by Bronson, that give a more erie feeling between the guitars and sometimes over the song. For example, the song "These Filthy Hands", consisting of mainly keyboards and effects over the guitars.
Superbuick uses audio tracks from movies such as "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me", "Ed Wood", "Psych-Out" and "Se7en". Beyond the band are the lyrics on this album. The first song on the album titled "Bwomp", holds great lyrics itself. For example, " If it was up to me, I'd free Charles Manson" that is rapped about in the verse and "Laughed at religion long ago, I doubt I'll be an angel when I die" that Jeffery Nothing yells after. Superbuick is a mix of heavy guitars, beautiful piano melodies, erie synth pieces with very dark lyrics, that just blend together perfectly and Mushroomhead is just one of those bands when someone asks you why you are a fan, you just can't explain it.
If you have never listened to Mushroomhead I would tell you to listen to them not just because I'm a fan, but because they experiment with many different sounds. They put out some great stuff. And if you're not a Mushroomhead fan, don't tell others the bad word, let them listen first and give their opinion, cause I know many people don't care much for them for some odd reason. Even though this album is a great one, there are some cons to it. First off, the sound quality is a bit low but, it was recorded by themselves with little recording gear. Second, Jeffery Nothing's vocals can get a tad annoying at sometimes, but Jmann's screams help back it up. Third, this is not a Technical Metal fan's favorite album due to lack of guitar work but like I stated, both guitars blend and work in melody. Last, the final track on the album is just a remix of the first track "Bwomp". I believe they could of put a different track on there, but besides that, the album is perfect.
Recommended Tracks:
-Bwomp
-Never Let It Go
-Idle Worship
-Big Brother
