Review Summary: The shape of alternative metal to come.
Helmet's first album, Strap It On, was an underground success, and it caught the attention of the record labels, that saw a great potential in their sound. So, they signed to Interscope and released their major label debut Meantime, an influential album that is innovative and masterfully crafted. It uses the best aspects of the previous album and polish them, making it a stronger and more consistent album.
Helmet's staccato riffs and aggressive sound still is the same, but the production and recording quality is better than their first album. The songwriting is more focused on what worked previously and the catchiness prevails much more than it did before too. The vocals here are more melodic than the previous album, and its evolution is notable. The bass, guitars, drums, everything here works in full power to give a gigantic dynamic for the songs, and none of them let you down for a second, making all of them shine equally through the album.
The riff-based approach is more effective and every song is remarkable in some way, making every second worth listening. Its robot-like instrumental shows a little of Industrial influence , while the heaviest parts and growls have a glimpse of Sludge, but the overall sound is unique and creates a prototype to the genre's future.
The album starts in full attack mode, with the breathtaking intro of "In The Meantime" that is certainly one of the best moments of the album, and then it transforms in a destroying riff that sounds like a beautiful symphony of an earthquake that destroys everything on its way. And the album keeps the pace in its entirety, with some of the catchiest and monstrous riffs the band ever created, like in "Ironhead" and "Role Model". Songs like "Give It" and "You Borrowed" are irresistibly groovy, and have danceable, infectious rhythms that will blow your mind. But everything that the album offers can be resumed in one song: "Unsung". The bass intro, the stop-and-go riffs, the anthemic lyrics, the perfectionist drums, the noisy section, everything here is a example of how great their music can be.
Helmet crafted a masterpiece that stands as a definitive album of its genre, and shows how Helmet contributed to its evolution, bringing an aggressive and extremely catchy sound to it, and inspired a lot of bands in the future.
Standout Tracks:
In The Meantime
Ironhead
Unsung
You Borrowed
