Review Summary: Mudvayne's self-titled release is the best thing they have released since the early days of "L.D.50/TEOATTC" and truly shows they can still create great music, while still maintaining their roots.
From the unpredictable agression of "L.D. 50" to the melodic overtones of "The End of All Things to Come" to the radio-friendly "Lost and Found" to the pop-metal concept album "The New Game" we arrive to their self-titled album "Mudvayne". This album combines the unique elements from previous releases and does it very well. Although this record is not a 'classic' by any means, it is a great Mudvayne album. So let's dive into the tracks shall we?
Beautiful and Strange: The opening track that starts off with a minute of quiet sounds and then kicks in with a very fast-paced, thrash riff. The track then shifts into a chunky groove that sets the pace for the rest of the song and right away you recognize the outstanding guitar work by Greg Tribbett as he offers some the most driving riffs in his career. The rest of the song is pretty solid and a great opener for the album. Although the lyrics fall short some times, the singing is still top-notch. 4/5
1000 Mile Journey: This is one of the best songs on the album and one of Mudvayne's best songs ever. The song starts off right away with a guitar riff will have you banging your head, then the almighty Chad Grey comes in with his roaring vocals that are executed perfectly and fit right with the music. Then we shift to the melodic chorus that is one of the catchiest things Mudvayne has ever written and it is truly beautiful. Everything is great about this song from beginning to end, no complaints. 5/5
Scream With Me: This track is very similar to "Do What You Do" as far as song structure and guitar work, but at the same time it is much darker and has much more of a "Mudvayne" feel to it. The catchy chorus and short song length make this song a great choice for a single. Overall this track is nothing spectacular, but is still very good. 3.5/5
Closer: Closer is a decent track with heavy verses displaying some of Chad Grey's best aggressive singing yet. The chorus is very forgettable and repetitive and the bridge refers to the 3 little pigs...weird. All in all It's an alright track, but inferior to the rest of the album. 2.5/5
Heard It All Before: Beginning with a creepy guitar riff that breaks into a nice heavy riff, this song is definitely one of the angriest songs on the album. The chorus is pretty good, but the transitions in this song are random and kinda jagged. 2 things stick out in this song...1.Greg Tribbett's blistering guitar solo 2.The 18 second scream towards the end which is pretty darn impressive. Other than that, this is a solid heavy song. 3/5
I Can't Wait: Probably my second favorite track on the album behind "1000 Mile Journey". The track starts off with belting scream over the fast-paced drums and guitar. The song then shifts into headbangin' groove that pretty much outlines the rest of the song. The vocals and lyrics are very strong and executed very well. This track has no weak points and is very much a highlight on the album. 5/5
Beyond the Pale: This track is a slap in the face to all of those stupid fan boys who say the same thing about Mudvayne, "oh, I liked Mudvayne in the L.D. 50 days, they will never be as good as they were, they're crap now. etc". Well fanboys, this track is for you. Beyond the Pale is that tune containing many twists and turns that were found on L.D. 50. From the cool-sounding bass intro to the exploding chorus to the soft interludes to the bashing breakdowns, this track is a callback to the early Mudvayne days and will please any fan new or old. Great Track. 4.5/5
All Talk: the song opens up with a soft intro that leads into a melodic verse, and quickly transitions into a chunky chorus that is very catchy. The song structure is nothing like Mudvayne has done before, but the song itself will remind you of the "Lost and Found" days, especially the track "Fall Into Sleep". In conclusion this track clocking in at 2:53 is nothing epic, but a very cool-sounding Mudvayne song. 4/5
Out to Pasture: This song is building up and has you thinking this is gonna be a great song, but falls way short on the chorus, which is repetitive and easily forgettable like "Closer", and goes downhill from there. Although this is one of my least favorite tracks, Mudvayne does do a great job on creating atmosphere on this one. Other than that, nothing is good about this song. 1.5/5
Burn the Bridge: Mudvayne ventures into lyrics that contain themes of the seven deadly sins. It's not that bad, but not that great either. As a matter of fact i would just say that its average, but nothing stands out or is memorable. Filler? I think so. 2/5
Dead Inside: A beautiful closing track that is Mudvayne's first acoustic track released on an album. All of the vocals/lyrics are sung nicely with some simple guitar chords from Tribbett. Not much to say about this song other than it's different and nothing short of amazing. 5/5
Mudvayne's self-titled release is the best thing they have released since the early days of "L.D.50/TEOATTC" and truly shows they can still create great music, while still maintaining their roots. This album's diversity and top-notch musicianship on most tracks makes it a (3.5) great record.
