Review Summary: A snake bite with a lasting effect.
For Limp Bizkit at this point in their career, what can be said? The NU-metal juggernauts that dominated the world during the back end of the 20th Century; countless smash singles, crazy live shows -- all fronted by a red cap sporting rapper and eccentric guitar player who dressed up in his Dad's drag gear for every show. Indeed, back in their peak you couldn't get away from Limp Bizkit, they were the
it band at the time, with mainstream audiences and fans of the genre lapping up every note the band produced. Crazy profiles like this don't last however, and the ropey section of the band's career saw guitarist Wes Borland depart from the band to focus on other projects, leaving Fred high and dry to create the band's most exceptionally lacklustre and ironically titled
Results May Vary. Not long after the release of the LP, NU-metal imploded and the band became the butt of jokes for many years to come, even when the band weren't around anymore. Two years after the release of
Results May Vary, Wes rejoined the band and released the surprisingly solid EP
The Unquestionable Truth - Part I, which brought a huge sounding production, heavier riffs, and a band bringing a little bit more of a serious edge than previously heard. But for all the surprise, the band disappeared again as quickly as they returned, and wouldn't be heard from again for another 6 years.
So place yourself in the shoes of Limp Bizkit in 2011; at a time where the word NU-metal was only uttered as a dirty word, and worse still, you're a band that still gets mocked and ridiculed on a daily basis, despite the fact you've been out of the game for so long. A band that people love to hate, and a group that's never left peoples minds. Nevertheless, the band came back just over half a decade later to bombard the world with new tunes the world never asked for. But this is Limp Bizkit, and doing things conventionally isn't a thing for them. Put simply
Gold Cobra is a fantastic return for the band. Limp Bizkit's full of life approach to recording is still here and is simply brimming on
Gold Cobra; you can tell the band have had a great time recording these tracks. Songs that range from being heavy and psychedelic in a way that pushes the band forward, to making fun of themselves, to the point of almost becoming a parody. Poking fun at the fact people think they're the common denominator of dumb music, and having a great time throwing it back at the faces of their haters. The opening track "Bring It Back" is a great way to kick the album off, and hears Fred Durst on the frontline again, spitting out his disdain for all the hate that's been fired his way over the years. In fact, Fred's performance throughout
Gold Cobra is easily the most impressive take he's had on an album to date. He sounds pissed off, genuine, and for the first time, mostly writing lyrics that don't feel contrived or corny; he's simply releasing pent up anger, and he sounds great for it. His voice sounds like it has dropped an octave lower over the years, and this makes his performances -- especially the rapping sections -- on here sound even more savage. "Get A Life" is one of the best examples on here that brings a dark, pumping groove underpinned with Wes' effective palm mutes, while Fred rides the track with a free-flowing attitude and raps, nailing line after line before exploding into the heavy chorus which has Fred screaming "
Get a life!".
With Fred holding his weight on the album, it's a good job the music behind it is as equally enjoyable. The weighty production found on
The Unquestionable Truth - Part I was a fitting sound that worked well for the band. So it's good to see they've taken that kind of production and injected it with steroids,
Gold Cobra sounds as big as the stadiums they play. The rhythm section throughout is exceptional, and one that, for the most part, utilizes a simple rap style rhythm section and beat; the bass and drums just work together so well, and it makes Fred's contributions sound so much more effective throughout the album. The groove on this thing is undeniable, making it impossible not to move your body to tracks like "Gold Cobra" and "Bring it Back". Wes has many moments on here where he shines, using trippy effects throughout the album, and accommodating everything else going on, whilst occasionally letting rip on tracks like "Loser". The album uses its new and improved rap/metal style throughout most of
Gold Cobra, but the likes of "Loser" and "Walking Away" showcase a more familiar Bizkit sound, and one that shows Fred still knows how to sing.
It reads as though Limp Bizkit have hit a home run with
Gold Cobra, but there is the odd blip to the systems at times, and you get the little reminders at times of why they have so much hate. And it's not really that they're doing anything wrong per say, it's that they can go too far with the parody stuff, or where they've gone a little too far with the fun dial, and it doesn't translate all that well with what is great on the LP. Firstly, the last quarter of the album runs out of gas and the tracks just don't stand up as well as the rest of the album: "90.2.10" feels very much like a B-side track than a final LP track, lacking in anything interesting to give fans and with the last segment of the track feeling like they've gone a little too far off the rails with its experimentation. The last track "Killer In You" is also a rather lacklustre way to finish an otherwise great return; the band don't leave with a wall crushing explosion as they do fizzle out, and it's a shame considering the amount of work that went into the album up to this point. And there is the occasional ding to the paint work throughout the album: "Shark Attack", despite the amusing jaws "dun-dun dun-dun" effect at the interlude, Fred's falsetto rapping is quite honestly awful. As well as other immersion ripping moments found with certain lyrics on tracks like "Douche Bag". These aren't huge problems, but they do jar the flow at times and stop the album from being a complete stunner.
But overall, it's an impressive comeback. A band with this level of fashionable hate and heat would normally let it lie, wither and die, but Limp Bizkit wear the haters as a badge of honour. As far as returns go, it doesn't get much better. Given the band that has made this return, it's an even bigger achievement. Fast, heavy and undeniably fun. If you liked the band previous you'll love this, but it might even surprise others as well.
Excellent.
