Reviews

Melvins - Press play, and wait for the chaos to leave the speakers. One of the great things about being a Melvins fan is having no idea what turn each album will take. For the most part the band has stayed reasonably listenable for the last handful of albums, losing a lot of the 'grinding noise' tracks earlier albums had - and although some of the band's earlier works had a little extra charm for them being included, what we get now is a leaner and infinitely more focused vision of the band. It doesn't mean the epic sludge anthems are no longer there, as this very album reeks with them, but they feel like they are delivered with more purpose than 'Spread Eagle Beagle' or 'Boris' ever did. This leaves things sounding a little more mature. Melvins. Mature. Yes, it's an oxymoron. 'King Of Rome' kicks the album out it's a cage with a down-tuned dirty guitar tone. Unlike many past albums, this isn't a grinding plodder, but instead gallops at a pretty fast pace, with a great since of urgency. Clocking off at around 3 minutes, it hooks you in, and nails you down. 'Vomit Of Clarity' is a rather unnecessary soundscape of instrumental and digital noise. It is somewhat musical, but pointless just the same, sounding more like an intro to another track than being able to stand on its own merit. With only 2 minutes to sit through, it is tolerable, but it also reminds you this isn't a Top 40 rock band and never will be. Typically Melvins AND totally pointless. Those words can comfortably site side by side here. 'Short Hair With A Wig' is what the older fans have come for, an 11 minute sludgy dirge that is both repetitive and compelling in equal parts. It's intro is long and drawn out, but this isn't the band of the 90s playing the same phrase over and over. There are interesting guitar parts that hook, and when frontman Buzz Osbourne begins to sing the whole thing feel more dark and brooding than anything the band has done in a long time. Like most long Melvins tracks, it does begin to stay up too late past its bedtime toward the end, but not overly so. 'Victory Of The Pyramids' brings back a touch of speed after the tempo fatigue of the previous track, and is quite tuneful, with a main riff that is swirling and addictive. Another long one, and when the silence is finally broken by the vocals it is warmly welcomed. Osbourne wails with a 70s style swagger that isn't in his normal operating style. It is Melvins doing 70s stoner rock, and they do it well. Midway the song slows down to a crawl, and it is hard to see how the first half is even the same song as the second. There are sound effects and guitar feedbacks aplenty, and it stays somewhat interesting long after it should. 'Venus Blood' farewells the album with a slow chugger that is probably the most 'classic' Melvins sounding track on the album. Although the track has many ups and down, the double-tracked vocals cut through as the centrepiece, and it all ends very abruptly. Overall, it is an album only this band could make, with lots of slow chugs and low-end madness, but the band has learnt over the years the tricks needed to keep repetitive tracks from sounding stale quickly. You are never going to be singing along while driving the family cross-country on a trip to Wally World, but in a nice pair of headphones an album like this will transport you to its own holiday location - and at around 30 minutes (is this even an album?), it is perfectly balanced to never outstay it's welcome.