Editorial Reviews
Music Review:
Music Review
Aussie Beat That Shook the World [Import]
Classically Romantic [Box set]
Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 in E major
Crazy Talk [CD-single] [Import]
Class War: The Attack On Working People (Spoken Word) [Live]
Amazon.com
Since 1987 this power trio has churned out Black Sabbath-influenced grind-sludge metal for a fanatical underground following. Part of the early '90s "Seattle scene," the Melvins never achieved the radio airplay of their contemporaries, though founding members Buzz "King Buzzo" Osborne (the eccentric, Afro-ed singer-guitarist) and Dale Crover (drummer-vocalist) are beloved and prolific fixtures on the indie rock scene. Their latest seven-song outing on fellow quirky musician (and Osborne's Fantomas bandmate) Mike Patton's Ipecac label will likely not boost them out of relative obscurity, but it's an entertaining aural journey nonetheless. From the heady 'n' heavy intensity of "Black Stooges," which ends with several minutes of drums and feedback, to the winning speedy, countrified punk power of "Dr. Geek" and the garage metal of "Little Judas Chongo," Hostile Ambient Takeover is, as the title suggests, at once more punky and more ambient than previous swampy efforts. There are some lengthy, ponderous, slo-mo entries, which is not unexpected of the Melvins, while the nearly 16-minute album closer is a wash of mostly instrumental noise that ranges from ominous to space age (vocals kick in 10 minutes into the song). Oddball but engaging, the Melvins have carved out a unique niche, which they dig deeply into on Hostile Ambient Takeover, their 18th album of aural idiosyncrasy. --Katherine Turman
Album Description
2002 album is a flavorful mix of quiet intensity and noisy calm. 8 glorious tracks to mess with your mind!