Mind Bomb – Mind Bomb

1993 Mercury Records

I almost don’t know how to describe the music on this disc, which makes it a natural for the Sonic Abyss.   You’ll find elements of Ministry-style industrial sounds, glam, metal, dance, hair-band melodicisms (I just HAD to use that word), blues, acoustic, grunge, Zappa and flat-out rock.

Strange that this disc didn’t find a wider audience given that it came out smack-dab in the middle of a time when alternative rock was struggling to find an identity and darn near anything unknown qualified as “alternative.”  I saw them at the Varsity Theatre in Baton Rouge, LA on the tour for this album back in the 90’s.  Can’t remember for the life of me who they opened for, but I remember them being very very good live and I was floored at how indifferent the crowd seemed to be.

So many elements within the music of the same band (much less on one CD) make this one hard to classify.   It definitely rocks, kicking off with the industrial come metal sounds of Prepare Yourself! and going directly into the grunge meets glam jam of Segue.

The disc would sound like a band in search of an identity if the whole thing didn’t sound so dead-on deliberate.  No, I think this was a band in love with music who saw no reason these influences couldn’t come together and live in harmony.   The pulsing, funky and danceable Do You Need Some? then follows suit with heavy guitars and a tight dance groove to the fore.  Some tasty wah guitar in there, too.

Mixed in with the electronicisms (yeah…I don’t even know if it’s a real word) of the aforementioned tunes is the totally-steeped-in-rock-but-still-futuristic sounding Daisy Chain, which on one hand sticks out but on the other hand totally fits.   From there, we go right into perhaps my fave riff and song on this disc, I Am.   Again, totally tight and totally deliberate, while 40 Days sounds like it must have been a blast to play live.

Violent Dream has one of coolest and most menacing keyboard sounds to cross these ear drums and was the song that originally drew me into this CD.  Guitars are biting, heavy and tight and not even the Europe-cheesy keyboards (sorry…it makes me cringe a little) at the end of the choruses can ruin it.    And finally, there’s It’s What I Want, which really defies description in its upbeat catchiness and (I believe deliberate) campiness.   Super cool bass line on this one and Zappa-esque eclecticisms galore.

Don’t know what else to say except buy this sucker online, where you can find it for stupid-low prices.  I paid full-price for mine back in 1993 and I ain’t complaining.

Rating:  4.5 out of 5

 

Weekly Abysmal Video 11/2/09

To celebrate Stick guitarist Mike Tobin’s recent visit to The Sonic Abyss (thanks bro…you’re always welcome here!), this week’s WAV comes from Lawrence, Kansas’ own Stick with “No Groovy.”

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find an actual video for this song, but hey…it still rocks and it’s a nice way to kick off your week! I hope you enjoy it…Abysmally, of course. Cheers!

Sloth – Dead Generation

2003 Hollywood Records

This disc still sounds fresh 6 years after its initial release.   No small feat for any CD, and I can’t believe I didn’t give it more of a chance back then (whatwith my obsession with opening track “All We Know”).

“All We Know” is just an incredible song to open the album with, Greek bouzouki sound stylings showing their influence right off the bat.  The guitar sound is heavy and very nu-metal sounding, while the overall sense of style and dynamic on the CD is much more diverse.

The aforementioned Greek bouzouki influences are all over this disc not just in the instrumentation in places but in the overall effect on melody.    Though they sound nothing like Sepultura, the Greek influence here is prevalent much the same way as on Sepultura’s seminal Roots album.

“All We Know” is almost a “10 Most Truly Abysmal” song for me.   Just a dynamic breath of fresh air and it should have been their first single.  “Someday” and “Dead Generation” are both good songs but they’re not singles, though they were released as such.  Why “Even Though It’s Over” wasn’t released as a single, I’ll never know.  I can’t get that song (especially the chorus) out of my head.

“You Can’t Look Away” is another stellar track that once again shows a band in uncanny command of dynamics in their music (an amazing track, really), while “Media” is a fast and aggressive blast of energy.   Extra kudos to lead throat Mike Love  for some killer diversity in his singing style.

So often with younger bands, dynamics sound forced rather than letting them happen naturally.  With Sloth, it sounds natural and closing track “Billygoat” is a great example of their command of both dynamics and melody.   Lyrics at times venture too close to trite for my taste, but thankfully never totally give in.   Probably just a matter of personal taste.

A decidedly grey mood, this disc triumphs due to a prevalence of silver linings…and you’ve just got to admire their work ethic.  I mean, they got their recording deal because they followed the Warped Tour in their van with their equipment and played for people in the parking lot before the actual Warped show started.

They wanted it…and you can hear it in their music.   Will someone please tell me what ever happened to these guys?  It just ain’t fair.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

CLICK HERE TO BUY SLOTH’S DEAD GENERATION CD THROUGH AMAZON.COM

Weekly Abysmal Video 10/26/09

Being a sucker for good power-pop, I always loved this band. Very very short lived, but man they had some great songs. Saw them on the Spilt Milk tour at the Varsity in Baton Rouge back in the day and they were a great live band. From San Francisco, CA (retroactively)…it’s Jellyfish! Enjoy Abysmally…

Click Here to watch and listen to Jellyfish – New Mistake.

Cage the Elephant – Back Against The Wall

You really should own this album if you don’t already. And you just have to dig a band with gnomes in their video. These guys are becoming more and more well gnome. Enjoy Abysmally…and thanks to The DMC for letting me know about this vid.

And thank you Jared Champion for spreading the word of the Abyss. I have no choice but to award you an honorary doctorate. In the Abyss you will heretofore beknownst as Dr. Jared “Jaro” Champion, D.A.