Doomster *Ahem*

Excuse me for a second, but...

DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111

Every respective metalhead has at least once heard of The Melvins. The one band that has revolutionized genres such as drone, sludge, experimental doom and ambient/rock fusion are one of the most influential yet under appreciated bands I have ever heard. Without The Melvins, we wouldn't have top-of-their-game bands such as Tool, Suma, Isis, Electric Wizard and Sunn O))). But their is something about The Melvins that sets them apart from other bands in a similar vein that I can't quite put my finger on - is it the distinct switching of musical genres with each release? The originality? The genius mix of ridiculous humor and dead seriousness in their music?

Well, all three, in my eyes.

Their fourth album, "Lysol" is STILL The Melvins' heaviest to date, and one of the HEAVIEST albums of the early nineties. It was also the band's last stand on Boner Records, and boy did they go out with a bang. "Lysol" is often cited as being the grandaddy of drone doom metal, and without this puppy (and it's absolutely badass cover art), there wouldn't be any of us getting shat on by the gigantic riffage erupting from the speakers of bands such as Sunn O))), Earth, Khanate, Boris etc. And holy shit, THIS is the epitome of drone.

The album is actually only just one 31 minute song, but it's actually split into five parts - the 11 minute drone-fest "Hung Bunny", the 7 minute "Roman Bird Dog", A 6 minute Flipper cover "Sacrifice" and another cover, followed by a two minute doom piece "With Teeth". On my edition, the album is just one monolithic 31 minute song, with no parts to split it up.

The first "part", "Hung Bunny" gives you a good idea of what this baby's all about. It begins with a breathy drone sound, and then the guitar feedback comes in, followed by some of the most crushing riffs since Sabbath first recorded "Into The Void". The "southern metal" influence is all around this one, and speaking of Sabbath, there is a distinctively Sabbath-y influence here, as with most doom bands. For a while, the song is just merely King Buzzo and Joe Preston slamming out massive riff after massive riff on your head...and then Dale Crover's absolutely insane drumming starts, and the real fun begins. It's a gigantic 11 minute track that might as well have been the first drone metal song ever. Usually masochism isn't something applied to music, but this is rather difficult to listen to, but that's what makes it so kickass.

The next track, "Roman Bird Dog" thrashes along at breakneck speed...I'm being sarcastic, of course. In all seriousness, however, this song is very similar to the previous track, except it has more traditional riffs (in the loosest sense of the word) and King Buzzo's almost country-influenced vocals are just amazing - druggie, thick and just makes him look like a 400 tonne badass samurai god stomping through city streets...OK, that was a terrible analogy, but you get the point. So heavy, it still hurts.

"Sacrifice" (which is a cover of the punk band Flipper) follows in a differentiating vein. It's still so heavy as fuck that it makes your ears bleed, but it's way more bass oriented than the past two "segments". Guitar feedback and chords come and go, but just when you think you are about to get pummeled by a huge explosion of riffage, the mysterious bass line just continues in it's groovy plod which soon gives way to Buzz' almost humorous vocal delivery. The lyrics are awesome, too, but I guess you should credit Flipper for that.

After a rather pointless but still cool interlude called "Second Coming", "The Ballad Of Dwight Fry", which is a cover of Alice Cooper, kicks off. Oh man, this song is just awesome. It's not heavy at all, but it's super fun. There's no mammoth explosions or anything, just some grungy guitar riffage for a few minutes. Buzz' vocals are the focal point of this song. Even if I would have preffered it more heavy, this still kicks ass and is one my favorite cover songs by The Melvins. There's also a female singer in here, and she really shows the country-influence on this album. Nice stuff.

If anybody was getting pissed off by the distinct lack of heaviness in the past few minutes or so, there's no need to worry, because "With Teeth" comes shambling in, and it's a heavy as fuck, short-but-sweet grungry drone (grunge-drone?) song with some of Buzzo's best vocal performance on the album. There's not much to say since it's so short (but at the same time not a filler), and besides "Second Coming" I'd mark it as the album's weakest with ease, but, surprise surprise, it's still a great song!

The only thing that keeps me from giving it a perfect score is the length. Only 31 minutes?! Full length my ass! Despite this, though, this album absolutely incredible, but it's not the first Melvins album you should pick up - get Houdini, then this, and then go from there. Point is, buy this or I'll beat the living shit outta you.

Sheavy Melvins are one of the stranger bands out in the metal scene today, having been around for a couple of decades, and yet with every album they release, there is bound to be something different and surprising on it.

This album is the first full album I ever got by Melvins, having only heard various songs off other albums. In short, I was blown away by this. What I had previously heard of Melvins was there more 90's grunge-y sound. This album is not grunge. What it is, I'm not really sure, but whatever it is it's really, really amazing.

I love all the songs on this album, with personnal favorites being the Black Stooges song which startes out sounding like a "normal" Melvins song, before descending into something that sounds like Merzbow. The following song, Dr. Geek, has a country flair to it, with King Buzzo "chickin' pickin'" on his guitar. The Fool, The Meddling Idiot is one of my favorite doomy Melvins songs, with a very strange ending that is extremely out of place, yet adds just that much more to this already amazing song ( I refrain from telling you so hopefully you interest has been piqued enough to get this album). The Anti-Vermin Seed is this albums epic 15 minute ending song. It is a slow and plodding track that gets rather creepy at times.

This album is one of many masterpieces by Melvins, all of which you should have.

UMUR "Nude With Boots" is the 17th full-length studio album by US alternative/sludge metal act Melvins. The album was released in July 2008 by Ipecac Recordings. It´s the second album to feature a four-piece lineup consisting of Dale Crover (Drums, Vocals), King Buzzo (Guitar, Vocals) and the two "new" members Jared Warren (Bass guitar, Vocals) and Coady Willis (Drums, Vocals). The latter two came from Big Business and joined the former two for the recording of "(A) Senile Animal (2006)". A marriage made in heaven (or hell, whichever you prefer) if you ask me.

"Nude With Boots" continue the alternative/experimental/sludge metal style of it´s predecessor but while there are many similarities between the two albums, there are as many differences. While "(A) Senile Animal" was pretty consistent in style (albeit with a few odd experiments), "Nude With Boots" branch out much more and embrace both heavy sludgy tracks, more energetic punked rock/metal tracks, a couple of instrumentals and the last two tracks "The Savage Hippy" and "It Tastes Better Than the Truth" which are unbelievably filthy, slow-paced and sludgy. Unlike anything heard on "(A) Senile Animal". Melvins have of course lost none of their trademark odd humour and the lyrics are as weird and charming as ever.

I spend a lot of time talking about the percussive assault in my review of "(A) Senile Animal" and I have to mention it again talking about "Nude With Boots". Dale Crover and Coady Willis compliment each other extremely well and their playing gives the music an extra dimension that is greatly enjoyable IMO. The possibilities of having four vocalists in the band also means a lot to the sound. I especially enjoy the raw vocals by Jared Warren. The musicianship is generally on a very high level and the organic sound production and the tight yet "human" way the music is performed adds a lot to my overall enjoyment of the album.

"Nude With Boots" is another high quality release by Melvins. There are a few more twists and overall it´s a bit more challenging than "(A) Senile Animal", but honestly I wouldn´t be able to pick one over the other. Great and highly recommendable albums the both of them. A 4 star rating is fully deserved.

UMUR "(A) Senile Animal" is the 16th full-length studio album by US alternative/sludge metal act Melvins. The album was released in October 2006 by Ipecac Recordings. Melvins have usually been known as a trio, but on "(A) Senile Animal", the two consistent members of Melvins, King Buzzo (guitar, vocals) and Dale Crover (drums, vocals) have joined forces with Jared Warren (bass guitar, vocals) and Coady Willis (drums, vocals) from Big Business to make Melvins a four-piece with two drummers.

Merging Big Business with Melvins proves to be a very wise move. The two new members provide a breath of fresh air to the trademark alternative/experimental/sludge metal sound of the Melvins. The inclusion of an extra drummer is a touch of genious and the percussive interaction between Dale Crover and Coady Willis is definitely one of the greatest assets on the album. Add to that the intense and raw vocal delivery and the heavy distorted bass work of Jared Warren and it´s hard to come up with anything negative about the new collaboration.

The 10 track, 41:24 minutes long album is a display in how to make a great entertaining full-length album. All tracks are umistakably the sound of the Melvins but there´s nice variation between the tracks. Some are pretty energetic and punked and some, like "Civilized Worm" and "A History of Bad Men", are heavy and sludgy. The latter features raw and intense lead vocals by Jared Warren (and of all the tracks is probably the closest to sounding like Big Business) while the former features a more laid back sedated vocal style. Most tracks feature "regular" vers/chorus structures but I assure you that there is nothing "regular" about the tracks on "(A) Senile Animal". There are twists and turns, sweet percussive details and adventurous ideas in spades. It´s all packed into a relatively accessible format though and that works well for the band.

The sound production is organic, detailed and powerful. High quality production to my ears.

"(A) Senile Animal" is the first in a row of strong album releases by the now four-piece Melvins. "(A) Senile Animal" to me is the epitome of wild, restless and carefree rock´n´roll. Even though Melvins occasionally take the tempo down to "mean badass heavy" or add some aggression, their music seems designed to make you happy. At least it´s happiness I feel after listening to this album, and that can´t be bad now can it? Try and wipe that smile of my face sucker. A 4 star rating and a recommendation are well deserved.

UMUR "The Bride Screamed Murder" is the 18th full-length studio album by US rock/metal act Melvins. The album was released in June 2010 by Ipecac Recordings. It´s interesting to note that for the first time in the band´s now long career they cracked the Billboard 200 Pop Charts (at #200) with "The Bride Screamed Murder".

...and it´s not because the music on the album is especially commercially oriented. At times it´s actually quite experimental like the opening track "The Water Glass" were the band experiments heavily with a capella vocal sections, call- and respons type vocals and chants. The track is very percussive too, fully taking advantage of the two drummers in the band. Opening the album with a track like that requires the balls of an elephant but Melvins easily fits that description. The basis in the music is somewhere between alternative rock/metal (with an occasional punked edge like in "Inhumanity and Death") and sludge metal but this is a band that likes to play with conventions so don´t put too much into the genre tags. It wouldn´t do the music justice. Just rest assured that if you enjoy hard rocking sludgy riffing, cool and adventurous organic drumming, strong and varied vocals and a suiting powerful and organic production "The Bride Screamed Murder" is probably something you´ll be able to appreciate. The wacky humour aspect of the band´s music is a nice feature too and should be mentioned as a strength too. Melvins are not a band that take themselves too seriously and that´s sometimes greatly deliberating.

There are nine tracks on the album. The first seven are original compositions while track number eight is a cover of "My Generation" by The Who in a twisted and experimental version and track number nine titled "P.G. x 3" is an even more twisted and experimental version of a traditional. Both tracks are greatly entertaining and performed with conviction. The original compositions are also high quality material to these ears. Even though there are vers/chorus structures in most tracks there are always twists to keep things exiting and adventurous. The many percussive sections where the two drummers interact with each other are integrated well in the tracks and don´t feel out of place. Most tracks could be mentioned as highligths but I´ll mention "I'll Finish You Off" as the highlight for me.

"The Bride Screamed Murder" spells quality all the way through. Excellent musicianship, great organic production and very entertaining material. Let´s just say I´m pretty fond of this album and A 4 star rating is deserved.