After the absolute genius of Angel Dust and the Nu-Metal inventing King For A Day Fool For A Lifetime Faith No More released this, their sixth and final album, rather than taking the route of the versatile The Real Thing or Angel Dust, or the heavy/melodic King For A Day this album strives towards a more epic (not the song) feel.
1. Collision - On the whole not a good way to begin the album, it's just a basic rock song and not that great. Also it's more reminiscent of King For A Day than anything else. 2/5
2. Stripsearch - This is more representative of the album's feel, it starts with an electronic note ascent and continues a slow dream-like atmosphere with the intro key's being played throughout. Very slow song but not bad. 3/5
3. Last Cup Of Sorrow - This is the pick-up point for the rest of the album, the song has a very mysterious sound which occasionally breaks into almost freak-out sections where Mike's voice has distortion added, which keeps the song from becoming boring. 4/5
4. Naked In Front Of The Computer - One of the heaviest song's on the album, which is basically composed of a constantly rythmic drum beat and some basic but very fast guitar chords. Mike's vocals on this song are kind of angry but not fully unleashed as he sometimes get's. 4/5
5. Helpless - Begins with quiet acoustic strumming and Mike singing in a very sedate manner, the song continues like this with the occasional electronic voice stating "I never felt better now". But before long the song livens up with long sustained guitar chords and layering of the vocals tracks before the song finishes on Mike screaming "Help, Help". 3/5
6. Mouth To Mouth - Wahey, this song sounds far more like a Mr Bungle song than Faith No More, but it's enhanced by FNM's trademark atmospherics. The song basically consists of the circus like verses with Mike singing like he's in Bungle, before the chorus breaks in with "I can't dress up the dead man, I can't bring him back to life". The constant frantic pace throughout the song makes it a winner. 5/5
7. Ashes To Ashes - Undoubtedly the best song on the album, beginning with basic bended guitar notes, then the keyboards come in and Mike starts singing in a low key kind of way, before the incredibly melodic chorus strikes. The guitar solo's also noteworthy in that rather than just being a boring note fiddle it merely exists to enhance the atmosphere. 5/5
8. She Loves Me Not - A glorious revival of 50's barber shop quartet music, this song is definitely one of the biggest highlights, it's impossible not to be cheered up when this track starts. 5/5
9. Got That Feeling - Another frantic heavy song like Mouth To Mouth, only this one sounds far more like earlier FNM than Mr Bungle. Fast singing layered with screaming, heavy chords, frantic drumming, and no keyboard (it wouldn't really fit in). 4/5
10. Paths Of Glory - A slow slightly menacing song which has MIke singing in his trademark singing over top, layered with a kind of dark spoken vocal style. The whole song feels like a big descent(not as in the album's sinking, literally a big descent). 4/5
11. Home Sick Home - Holy crap this sounds like an Alice In Chains song, of course with the eponymous Mike instead of Layne, but even though it doesn't sound so original it's still a fantastic addition to the album. 4/5
12. Pristina - This would be my favourite track if it weren't for Ashes to Ashes. Everything about the song screams epic, from the great beginning through to the astounding end, the reason this song works so well is because of the rousing atmosphere created by the whole band, definitely one of the best songs of their career. 5/5
Overall although this album isn't their best (Angel Dust), it is a fantastic addition to anyone who thinks they'd like to check out some of their other stuff. Good final album.
This is an OK album. Nowhere near as good as their best work (Angel Dust), but still very respectable.
