Mudvayne - L.D. 50
Mudvayne's acidic major label debut couldn't have come at a better time as groups like Slipknot have torn down the door for bands who use theatrics and compose pulverizing heavy anthems of angst and rage. This CD comes stacked with songs from top to bottom that convulse and throb with sheer intensity and mutate inside the listeners ears with offbeat structures that are punished with strong conviction mixed in with intelligent lyrics. The bands sound is by no means an easy task to sum up, but its safe to say they have learned from the masters as they combine ambient ethereal background noise similar to Faith No More with the belligerent auditory destruction of Slipknot and anchor it with bass heroics reminiscent of Primus all the while adding color with epic sounding vocal melody similar to Nothingface and Tool.
Vocally, brash yells and hot tipped words build up like a festering blister before eventually being prodded enough and bursting into a violently carnal look into the human psyche through deft vocal ability. Whether breezing out haunting vocal wisps akin to Maynard James Keenan of Tool, or snarling through each verse like a sinister madman, the verbal aspect of this CD is top notch and touches on a wide array of emotions while displaying immense talent. Guitars practically bruise the speakers with sharp distortion and chunky riffs that scrape out vehement instrumental wrath as they spit out their own breed of raw downtuned fury. Contrast is utilized well and there's a keen attention to detail utilized when the songs shift to slower tempos and effects are brought in to bring out the color and heighten the superb dynamic element that in play within the song structures. Bass in enthralling as vibrant plucks, slap and pops and slides are enlisted to give the band an animated element that is relatively unheard of in music that is so caustically heavy. From spastic tapping to melodic strumming the lowend included here is incredibly gifted and adds a flair to the music that helps the band achieve a sound all its own. Drums thunder with double kick and off timed snare hits that wear a rugged tuning and full bodied sound, putting the kit to the test while jackhammering the listener into submission. Programming and samples are also tossed in and end up flourishing in between songs to give the album the feel of an adrenaline laced trip through the delusions of a voyage on psychopsilocybin.
This disc is easily one of the most impressive debuts of the year and the strength and potency of the material of the bands modern hybrid of aggression reigns supreme over the hordes of others trying to make innovative heavy music. There's no question that this CD will fall under the "new metal" category and the group will probably be criticized for their choice of wearing make up along with their close ties to Slipknot, even though there are inherent similarities between the two groups. But by no means though is this band a clone or rip off of Slipknot, or any other band out there for that matter as this album clearly shows an innovative fresh approach that is as toxic as it is refreshing. Perhaps its only weakness is that it starts off with a crushing heaviness and eventually tapers off into tracks that can begin to blur into each other and slowly diminish the momentum. Mudvayne's title choice for this record couldn't have been better, from the warped references to drugs and their ties to the evolution of humanity, to the blisteringly fatal delivery of the spurned aggravation contained in the 17 tracks included, this album easily ends up becoming one of the most lethal dosages of the year.
(4.5 / 5)
