Review Summary: A rerecorded best of album from their three indie releases compiles all of the absolute best tracks from Mushroomhead, Superbuick and M3. An absolutely recommended purchase.
Mushroomhead is a very weird band. Formed in 1997 in Cleveland, Ohio, the seven-man band played a hybrid of rap, metal, electronic, industrial and a few others. Considering I love the band's music and I hate rap and electronic, usually, they -have- to be doing SOMETHING right.
The two-voice harmonies are rather awesome, the guitar work isn't amazing, but coupled with the keyboard work, it really works. Every member pulls together to create music that is unique, amazing and definitely not radio friendly.
1. BEFORE I DIE (5/5)
Coming from M3, this is an absolutely amazing opener. It is high-energy, fast, thrashy. It feels like a rush of adrenaline, and the lyrics themselves are actually quite enjoyable. "Don't give me love, I want to drown in your deep divide!"
2. BWOMP (4.5/5)
The lyrics are jumbled and odd, so I'm docking a half point for that, but aside from that, this is an absolutely amazing track. The electronic, rap and metal influences show through all very well, but it's still amazing. "The old ways aren't working anymore, let's separate the users -- FROM THE WHORES!"
3. SOLITAIRE/UNRAVELING (4.5/5)
A two-in-one song of sorts. Different, but very, very good. It's more metal than anything else, honestly, but you can still see the electronic influence near the middle. It starts out with one melody, Solitaire, then ends up flowing neatly into Unraveling. A very good song. "Have you ever been inside the new masterpiece?"
4. THESE FILTHY HANDS (4/5)
Okay, this one, compared to the last three, is a bit of a disappointment. Only compared to them though, as on its own right, it's a -very- good song. I love it still, even if not as much as the other two. It revolves both around piano and guitar, and sounds very odd, but good. "And I've got to wash these filthy hands because it's all just a futile plan"
5. NEVER LET IT GO (5/5)
Ah. Another amazing song. Honestly, despite the repetitive "never let it go" lyrics, it's awesome. You don't generally notice how repetetive that one line gets. Even the stop-start ending is weird, but awesome. "The wound that always bleeds but never shows!"
6. XEROXED (4/5)
Heh heh. Death metal. That's the only way I can describe this song. Despite that, it's still quite good, very well done. Just not the band's most unique. "Fall from grace, false messiah, laid to waste, amidst desire"
7. THE WRIST (5/5)
I think, I -think-, this is an anti-drug song. Not entirely sure, but nonetheless, the harmonizing between piano and electric guitar gives it a very unique sound. It is definitely one of my favourite tracks. "A sick piece of s**t with the balls to admit when he's wrong."
8. CHANCRE SORE (4/5)
A very short track that serves pretty much to bridge The Wrist and The New Cult king. As a song, it's not much, but it's still enjoyable and unique. "Chancre sore, self-absorbed"
9. THE NEW CULT KING (5/5)
A very electronic-ish intro fading into a softer, but still metal track. This one deals with false religions, cults, and brainwashing. Gee, who woulda thunk it, with a name like that? It's still very very good though. "Knew something...You're the God-Fiend"
10. EMPTY SPACES (4.5/5)
...WTF? Pink Floyd? That's certainly what I was thinking. Though it's a very good and very faithful cover of the very short Floyd song. It's heavier, and the vocals are more processed, but it's still very good. "What shall we use to fill the empty spaces, where we used to talk?"
11. BORN OF DESIRE (4.5/5)
Another good one, this time the closing song from M3. It served as an epic closing song to that album, but it's not the last song on XX. Hold on for a second. "Born of desire, desire, denial"
12. 43 (5/5)
Definitely the best song off of Mushroomhead, it makes it here re-recorded as well. It's one of the few songs on this album that has profanity, but meh. Don't care. Is awesome. "Mind hemorrhage! F**kin' foldin' chairs in the hallway!"
13. FEAR HELD DEAR (3/5)
The honest-to-God only track I can say I don't like. It's good...But not that good. I'm sorry. "You left your mark like a hand print..."
14. TOO MUCH NOTHING (4.5/5)
Another awesome track from Mushroomhead. This one is kind of silly, but at the same time, very awesome. The music is very guitar driven, though you wouldn't know from the intro. "I'm always excusing myself, and now it's getting hard to tell the reason why I even care, increasingly I'm unaware"
15. EPISODE 29 (4/5)
Awesome instrumental...But the version from Mushroomhead was honestly better. Still, this version is awesome.
16-42: Nothing. No reviews there.
43. BWOMP EXTENDED (5/5)
Who would have thought that 9 and a half minutes of Bwomp would have been even more awesome? It ties both the original Bwomp and its reprise together to make one looong track. And it is freaking amazing.
A rerecorded best of album from their three indie releases compiles all of the absolute best tracks from Mushroomhead, Superbuick and M3. An absolutely recommended purchase. If you haven't already listened, give XX a try. You won't regret it.
