Monster Jams: Tool - Fear Innoculum (released 8/30/2019)

Monster Jams:  Tool - Fear Innoculum (released 8/30/2019)

It's not easy to review an album like this, an experience that must be heard, but I will take a stab at it nonetheless.  Tool has always been a visionary act, an astounding collective fueled by imagination, artistry, and serious chops.  Thirteen years after their last release, they are back with Fear Innoculum, a deft masterpiece that proves to be well worth the wait--and undoubtedly houses hidden treasures that will emerge upon repeated listenings.  There is a depth to these songs that seems to dwarf most of what's out there, and there is a brazen thirst for exploration that remains as unified as it is bold.  The band embarks upon songs that feel like the sonic equivalent of epic journeys, and they do so with an ease that belies the innate grandeur of their musical dexterity.  The cuts here are fierce, haunting, playful, driving, ominous, absolutely beautiful, and, most importantly, fully immersive.  Despite running contrary to anything that the current landscape represents, these powerful contributions to the band's robust catalog are nothing if not accessible, this in spite of the scope and complexity on display.  Most tracks exceed ten minutes in length and cover a lot of territory, but there is a cohesion that never falters.  Expectations are repeatedly cast aside so that the music can explode in another direction or recede into a valley, where it may emerge as either a loving harmony or an aggressive attack.  This may sound rather exhausting, though it is truthfully anything but; there is no fatigue when dipping into this provocative pool, only excitement, and perhaps even joy.  I'm not sure exactly what I wanted from Fear Innoculum, but I know it will take some time to properly embrace what I got--and it's more than we deserved.

Final Grade: A+

Well. it took long enough, but Fear Innoculum is a delightful cabinet of curiosities for fans to cherish and explore.

Monster Jams: Clutch - Book of Bad Decisions (released 9/7/2018)

Monster Jams: Clutch - Book of Bad Decisions (released 9/7/2018)

Clutch has released a new album, the latest advance in their quest to transition into a rock and blues band with some jazz influences popping up in the mix as well.  There are still moments when they display the fire and gusto that made them a force to be reckoned with in their wild and woolly days, but the band has clearly embraced restraint and nuance to go along with advanced musicality at this stage of their evolution.  This may or may not be a bad thing; the album definitely rocks, and even if there are boundaries in place and less ferocity than old school fans may yearn for, your average rock fan is more apt to enjoy Book of Bad Decisions from start to finish.  For many, this new approach may be preferable--if your opinion of the band has been rising since they started taking fewer risks and toning down their intensity (say somewhere between the release of Robot Hive/Exodus in 2005 and From Beale St. to Oblivion in 2007), you may rate this among the band's best offerings.  If, on the other hand, you greet each release from these former stoner rock titans with some measure of hope that the guns blazing glory of Elephant Riders will rise from the ashes, you're bound to be disappointed.  I fall somewhere between these two categories.  I enjoy the new flavor, and I can't dispute the fact that this is a quality album (though it must be stated that it offers more material but less punch than their 2015 album, Psychic Warfare), but I wouldn't dare put it up there with releases like the previously-mentioned Elephant Riders, Blast  Tyrant, or Transnational Speedway League.  Is the band more precise?  Absolutely.  Are they still doing it their own way and making raucous noise?  Certainly.  Does it compare to that era when they offered up wild exploration and deftly intertwined metal, funk, and something akin to rage in the first half of their discography?  Man, I don't think it's even close.  Still, Book of Bad Decisions is a tight collection with several killer grooves, and Neil is still spitting about absurd shit even if he has mellowed out a bit.  "Hot Bottom Feeder" and the title track even flirt with the notion of serving as throwbacks to the band's furious past.  Other standout tracks include "Gimme the Keys," "In Walks Barbarella," and "H.B. is in Control."

Final Grade: B-

Monster Jams: Ultraphonix - Original Human Music (released 8/3/2018)

Monster Jams: Ultraphonix - Original Human Music (released 8/3/2018)

A killer surprise, Ultraphonix's Original Human Music is a stellar album that may be the best rock album to hit my radar in 2018.  Heavy on variety, the album offers up some dope rock that leans toward metal, some funky jams, a soulful ballad or two, and frequent splashes of jazz and blues to keep things popping.  It never misses, and as so-called "supergroups" go, singer Corey Graves (Living Colour), guitarist George Lynch (Dokken), bassist Pancho Tomaselli (War, Philm), and drummer Chris Moore (Cry Wolf, Damage, DeathRiders), deftly intertwine their respective talents to produce something new and distinct.  While their efforts do conjure their greatest strengths, the end result isn't a nod to any of the performer's bands and certainly seeks to cover new ground.  This is a key element of the album's success, and it is impressive that the band is able to take an experimental approach to much of the material without sacrificing intensity or cohesion in the process.  Everyone has brought their A game, and everyone has their moment to shine, though Graves occassionally dominates the proceedings with his range and passion.  Though he may not enjoy the same fanfare as Lynch, Tomaselli surely holds his own on bass, and while George shreds all over the place in blistering displays of talent and vision, Pancho provides Ultraphonix with a lively heartbeat and several deft flourishes of his own.  Moore's work here is a bit more deliberate and less showy, but his steady hand is a key element of the band's ability to cover so much territory without getting lost in the wilderness.  Standout tracks include "Walk Run Crawl," "Free," "Wasteland," and "Take a Stand," but you won't find a bad cut on this gnarly recording.  Highly recommended!

Final Grade: A+

New Project, New Playlist/Soundtrack

I've mentioned this to some of my peers before so it may be a rehash, but if not, consider yourself privy to an inside look at the workings of a deranged writer's mind.  When I'm working on a project, I like to compile what I think of as a soundtrack for that tale.  Whenever I'm working on that material, I put on my headphones and rock out to the playlist I have prepared.  I feel like this helps me get in the groove and arrive at the same mindset whenever I work on that piece, so the vibe and the voice that I'm looking for are easier to summon.  That may seem perfectly rational to some of you, and it may seem like utter nonsense to others.  That's just how I work, and it does seem to help me get to where I need to be to sling some ink. 

Anyhow, I rarely share much about any project I'm dealing with while it is in progress, but I occasionally dish out the working title and the playlist.  I do this because I love my peeps and I like to share.  Such a reveal may pique your curiosity so far as the current story is concerned, and it may also inspire you to check out some groovy tunes.  With all this in mind, let's get right to it.  I'm currently throwing down a novel about the most nightmarish camping trip ever, and I'm thinking of calling it "Southern Fried Hell."

This is the soundtrack I've put together to keep me on track while I put five lovely souls through the ringer:

Cattle Car – Clutch

Don't Step On The Grass Sam - Steppenwolf

Green Valley -Puscifer

One Horse Town - Hank Williams III         

Some Days – Sturgill Simpson        

Maggie M'Gill - The Doors   

Head Down – Soundgarden

Beercan - Beck

Shake Your Foundations - AC/DC  

Maybe I Am Amused - Melvins

Blue Monkey Disco - Syrup

Down To This – Soul Coughing

Spill the Blood - Slayer

I'm Shakin' – The Blasters

I Ain't Living Long Like This – Waylon Jennings

Vulture – Iggy Pop

Small Bones, Small Bodies – Future of the Left

Killing Floor – Body Count

Throw It On Me – The Hives featuring Timbaland

This Is Violence – Soulfly

Collapse - Motograter

D7 - Nirvana

Slayer - Repentless (Released 9/11/2015)

Slayer hit us with Repentless today, the first album the band has released since Jeff Hanneman passed away.  The impossible task of stepping in for Hanneman falls upon Gary Holt of Exodus.  Holt is a quality guitarist and he works hard to fill a significant void, though his efforts are somewhat diminished by Kerry King taking on a larger role.  For the most part, King actually plays it straight, but there are enough "Hey, look at me!" solos around to drag the proceedings down at times.  Paul Bostaph fills in nicely for Dave Lombardo on drums; there can be no doubt that he fits this band just as well as Lombardo, though I still give Dave a slight edge in ability and a bigger edge in finesse.  Tom Araya does a fine job with the vocals and bass, but that should come as no surprise.  It's a good album, much better than much of what's out there right now.  How does it stack up alongside Slayer's best recordings?  Come on, man.  Still, an average Slayer album trumps a top-shelf disc from the vast majority of acts playing the heavy metal scene in 2015.  I contemplated giving this album a "C+" but it occurred to me that I wasn't being very fair.  This would get no less than a "B" if it was released by most bands in the same vein, and there are several big name entities out there that have never produced something as worthwhile as Repentless.  The opening track, an instrumental entitled "Delusions of Saviour," is perhaps my favorite cut, though it seems like it should exist as the intro for the title track.  Speaking of the title track, the song is cool but the "Repentless" video is totally gnarly.  Slayer + Danny Trejo + a grisly prison riot = 1 extremely metal music video.  Other standout tracks include "Piano Wire," the punk-esque thrashfest that is "You Against You," "Vices," and "Pride in Prejudice."  I don't think that any of these offerings stack up well against any of Slayer's best cuts, but none of the songs on Repentless fall flat.  In the end, I am enjoying this one, even if it will never be confused with one of this legendary metal band's greatest albums.  It's still Slayer, even if things look and sound a little different, and Slayer still raises hell better than anyone.

Final Grade: B-

Slayer's new line-up delivers a solid album that is head and shoulders above
most of what's out there right now, though it is surely a far cry from their best stuff.

Slayer - Repentless Singles (Album is Due Friday)

Like many Slayer fans, I'm looking forward to the release of Repentless on Friday, but I'm also a bit conflicted about this latest offering from heavy metal's biggest and baddest act.  While Dave Lombardo is probably my favorite drummer, it isn't really his absence that bothers me.  No, I'm still on board in light of that unfortunate development, largely due to the fact that Paul Bostaph is a monster on the skins in his own right.  It's the fact that Jeff Hanneman is no longer around to contribute that makes me wonder if the album will measure up to the band's considerable legacy.  Fortunately, Slayer has dropped four singles to give us some idea of what to expect.  None of them are bad, that's for sure.  Each new song has some value and there is surely no indication that Repentless won't be a solid release.  Having said that, none of the songs are great either, leaving one to wonder if we can hope for more than an average record from Tom Araya, Kerry King, Bostaph, and newcomer Gary Holt.  Slayer fans don't dig on mediocrity and the band has always rewarded their feverish base with blistering albums loaded with rich songs that most metal acts wish they could dream up.  It will be interesting to see if Repentless rises above the four decent singles that have hit the scene or simply offers up more of the same.  I guess it's possible that the rest of the songs could suck and Repentless could wind up being the trainwreck that some longtime fans are expecting, but I doubt it.  This is Slayer, after all.  Anyway, I'm going to provide track notes for the singles and you can drop by on Friday for a review of the album itself.

Tracks released thus far:

Track 2 - "Repentless" - Probably the strongest single we've gotten thus far, this is a fitting nod to Jeff Hanneman's love for speed and aggression.  It's a brief jaunt with a nifty chorus and it isn't overburdened with a lot of that Kerry King "Fuck the cohesion of the song and check out my solo!" bullshit.

Track 5 - "Cast the First Stone" - Brooding and brutal, it has some punch even though it doesn't really make any attempt to stray from the formula.

Track 6 - "When the Stillness Comes" - Bolstered by some deft vocals c/o Araya and a driving beat, this is a dark and demented song that doesn't disappoint.

Track 8 - "Implode" - This nearly rises above the pack and emerges as a stellar assault on the eardrums, but there is a bit too much of that Kerry King bullshit happening in the last third of the song. 

The new album hits Friday and I will be posting a review here at Land of Way.

Some Kind of Monster/Lars Sucks

I have no idea why, but I'm currently stuck on the song "Some Kind of Monster" c/o Metallica, a band I've always been lukewarm on despite my love for heavy metal.  Anyway, I really dig this track, particularly the lyrics and Hetfield's performance, both of which seem to represent some of his better work.  And then there's Lars.  I like this song and I'm listening to it a lot, but Lars (a mediocre talent if ever there was one) really sucks it up on this one.  At times, his work on "Some Kind of Monster" is simply awful.

Now, to be fair, I'm a diehard fan of Slayer, a band that has somehow been blessed with both Dave Lombardo and Paul Bostaph in their efforts to rock us all over the years.  That sets the bar pretty damn high, but it still doesn't totally account for my disdain for Lars and his meager effort on an otherwise noteworthy song.  Dude is dreadful, and if being in a rock band was like most jobs, I'm pretty sure he would have been fired during the recording session.