- Release date:
- July 8, 2008
- Artist/Band name:
- The Melvins
- Record label:
- Ipecac
- Official Web Site:
- http://www.themelvins.net/
Backstory: The Melvins' guitar assault has been clearing cobwebs out of eardrums since the mid-'80s. Along the way, their rewarding mash of Sabbath, humor and hardcore head-banging has influenced everyone from Nirvana and Soundgarden to Tool and Mastodon. The band has also garnered serious critical acclaim, which probably explains why Ipecac label honcho and Faith No More grad Mike Patton has released the lifers' last three efforts, including this Gotterdammerung of a good time.
Why you should care: The Melvins are one of guitar rock's last, greatest hopes for the future, even though their line stretches nearly 25 years into the past. With recombined pretenders taking center stage, and the rock guitar going the way of the dinosaur in the digital age of Pro Tools and "Guitar Hero," these noisemakers keep the flame alive. This is why they've been name-dropped by everyone from Kurt Cobain to that pregnant chick in "Juno."
Verdict: The Melvins’ new effort is a bracing blast from the past that takes you back to the future. Whereas earlier Melvins tracks were sludgy crawls, "Nude With Boots" boasts breakneck rock glory on "The Kicking Machine," "The Stupid Creep" and the utter thrash of "Dog Island." Original founder, vocalist and guitarist Buzz Osborne destroys his vocal chords with aplomb, especially on the unhinged monster "The Smiling Cobra," but takes a back seat to the experimental epic "Dies Iraea." With the exception of the finale "It Tastes Better than the Truth," which feels like a never-ending execution, the Melvins have turned in, along with No Age's "Nouns," the rock effort of the year so far.
X-Factor: Kurt Cobain served time as a roadie and even tried out for the Melvins.
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