Customer Reviews

Mudvayne (LP w/Digital Code) [Vinyl]

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Since the release of their now classic 2000 release and major album debut L.D. 50, Mudvayne has long been one of the few bands willing to experiment even though they share stages and chart placements with mainstream acts. Whether it be the radical outfits/makeup/costumes the band adorns on stage or the chaotic and often fairly technical music, Mudvayne strives to stand alone. This has made them a band we can count on to release quality material while keeping it interesting and giving the fans something new with each release.

As a long time fan I can't say the band has had a bad release to date but I was a bit worried of the groups direction after 2008's The New Game. A good album, but I was worried the band was attempting to steer away from their heavier edge most noticeably heard on their earlier releases. This release however blew me back as we hear some of the ban's heaviest moments ever while still keeping the catchiness of later releases.

Right off the get go we get a lengthy 58 second intro and then Mudvayne unleashes their pent up aggression over the last few albums with some chaotic double bass work. the following track '1000 Mile Journey' continues the heaviness with a catchier chorus, flawlessly capturing both sides of the bands style. The short 'Scream With Me' brings down the tempo to slow things down a moment and Chad belts out a contagious chorus that will keep you singing along for days.

But just when you think the album might be slowing down we get 'Closer', easily one of my favorite tracks on the album. Not as heavy as the two opening tracks but speeds things up and we get to hear some excellent lead's from Greg as well as a SOLO... You heard that right, Mudvayne now does Solo's. The following track 'Heard It All Before' opens with more of those gnarly leads by Greg and then the song erupts into a violent romp of technical bass work and chugging guitar riffs that strongly reminded me of the style on The End of All Things to Come and later in the song we get an even more impressive solo.

'I Can't Wait' starts out with Chad belting out a long scream and kicks up the pace with more gritty riffage and some of Ryan's trademark technical B-Lines but its later on in the song that will blow you away, the most aggressive moment of the album thus far hits at about 2:00, simply crushing. As to contrast the previous intensity 'Beyond The Pale' starts off with some mellow Bass work backed by some quality leads and leads into a mid paced romp with yet again more of that catchier side but the later half of the song picks up the pace again with some mosh worthy riffing and double bass work.

As we near the end of the album I have to admit this is the most I have enjoyed a Mudvayne album the first listen through since L.D. 50. I didn't realize how much I missed the sheer aggression of Mudvayne's earlier releases and now that it has returned I only hope the band further pushes that aspect of their music on the next release. 'All Talk' is also fairly heavy and short but falls into the more catchiness and spotlight's on Chad's superb vocals. Again we get the track opening with melodic strings on 'Out To Pasture', which is one of the album's "slow song's" and focus' like the previous track on the vocals, very eerie at points.

'Burn The Bridge' is an extremely catchy but fast paced track with some of the best rhythm guitars on the album. Mudvayne closes the album with the completely acoustic 'Dead Inside', a slow and hauntingly end to yet another chapter of the band that is Mudvayne, some very meaningful lyrics are sung here. Eleven tracks, a wide aray of tempo's and some of the hardest tracks the band has performed in years.. An instant classic as far as I am concerned and though late still one of the best releases of 2009. I highly recommend this to ALL Mudvayne fans, even those of you whom may have turned your backs on them after L.D. 50. My love of this group and their music has been rekindled and I hope that yours can to. Thanks for reading, please support a supporter of Heavy Metal and click 'Yes' below.

This album is quite a surprise. I was expecting just another boring radio friendly Mudvayne album again. I've never been happier to be wrong.
I will first say that this album has the most original album art ever. Blacklight reactive? Amazing.
Well I suppose I ought to be getting to the music. I'll review each song individually then give an overall review of the album.

1. Beautiful and Strange: (9/10) It starts with some strange noise reminiscent of the filler tracks on LD50. Then in comes some blast beats, something Mudvayne has never done before. You can tell the guitarist's skill have greatly improved on this song.

2. 1000 Mile Journey: (9.5/10) Starts of pretty heavy, then an interesting chorus comes in. Some great drumming hear during the verses.

3. Scream With Me: (7/10) The first single, very radio friendly, worst song on the album.

4. Closer: (8/10) One of the most catchy songs on the album, strange sounding but still pretty good.

5. Heard it all Before: (10/10) It starts with a creepy intro, then it kicks your ass. There's a crazy 18 second scream in here too. Great guitar riffs too.

6. I can't Wait: (10/10) Right from the start this song kicks your ass with it's fast heavy technical playing. Matt the drummer is all over this song.

7. Beyond the Pale: (10/10) It starts with some bass playing in some odd time signature, with the guitars helping to create a creepy atmosphere. Like almost all Mudvayne songs the chorus is not quite as good as the rest of the song, but it's still a great song.

8. All Talk: (8/10) This one will probably be a single in the future. An interesting listen but a bit radio friendly for Mudvayne.

9. Out to Pasture: (10/10) This is one of those songs you gotta let grow on you. But once it does you realize how great it is. Creepy sounding. I enjoy the lyrics too.

10. Burn the Bridge: (9/10) One of the more catchy songs on the album. A nice listen but not the best.

11. Dead Inside: (8/10) This is something you would not expect from Mudvayne. A completely acoustic song. It gets better the more you listen though, don't worry.

Odd time signatures are back, Ryan's incredible bass skill is back, Matt is all over everything, Chad is screaming much more, and Greg's guitars are better than ever. So yeah, you can hear characteristics of every Mudvayne album in here. It's kinda like they took the LD50 and TEOATTC, then mixed in some Lost and Found and New game. Best Mudvayne album in many years. Good to see they're back.

(Sorry my review sucks, I'm currently not in a good condition to write one right now.)

First of all, I would have given this album 3.5 stars if a half star was an option, but it is not worth 4 so I rounded down.

Overall, this is a vast improvement over "A New Game". I don't think anybody would contest that. And it's on par with "Lost and Found". I read somewhere that Chad indicated that this is their best album since "The End of All Things To Come". Inherently, that statement is a problem in and of itself. The band admitted before the album was even released that "LD" and "The End" were stronger efforts. So why not return to the studio and keep working until you feel confident that THIS is your best release? Dave Fortman. That's why. He's Fortman'd it up again.

Before you think I'm all about dogging this album, I do want to give credit where it's due. This is by far their heaviest album since 2002, and some of the chords are quite complex and interesting in nature. "1000 Mile Journey" and "Out to Pasture" are stand out tracks. "Heard it all Before" and "Beyond the Pale" sound like extended Hellyeah tracks, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. And let's be honest, the worst Mudvayne is still better than the best of the slushpile playing on the airwaves today. I've always enjoyed their sound, and while I'm disappointed that the old days are gone, the new music is still good enough to devote my time and attention to.

Now for the bad. While some of the chords are interesting and unique, some are predictable and somewhat blase'. We're still lacking tracks that really get me excited like the first time on a new roller-coaster. I still prefer "Happy?", "Choices", "Pulling that String" and even "IMN" from the underrated "Lost and Found" over any of the tracks on this new "white" album. I prefer pretty much everything from "LD" and "The End" to anything released on the new album. I think the overall quality is above average, and the effort is admirable. It's a solid listen, and somewhat restores my faith in the VaYnE, but I would be hard-pressed to say this is a 5-star release. I wouldn't ward you off from hearing it, and I honestly feel you'll enjoy it, but be wary.

Incidentally, I do like the odd motorized, mechanical sounds that were sprinkled throughout giving it a unique "LD" sound. You can tell they tried really hard here, and I will commend their effort. Just don't expect this to be your favorite Mudvayne album.

Just a little perspective before I get into the review: I became a fan of Mudvayne way back in 2001 when I saw their music video for "Dig", a single from their first album LD 50. I was and still am not a fan of their genre of music, known as nu-metal. Unlike Mudvayne's contemporaries, their music felt fresh, intelligent, and progressive. I devoured LD 50, and couldn't wait for their follow up - The End of All Things to Come.

As a sophomore album, TEOATTC succeeded in nearly every way. It was heavier, smarter, and contained less filler. I honestly believed that Mudvayne was creating a lasting legacy that would end with them held in high regard. Then they released Lost and Found... It wasn't a bad album, but it was nothing like their previous efforts. The album felt like Staind with more screeching vocals. I lost a little respect for the band when lead singer Chad revealed in an interview that the band had gotten to a point where it was go mainstream or go home. Their fourth album, A New Game, was awful. I lost complete interest in the band.

I'm very glad that I gave Mudvayne's self-titled album a chance, as it's as close to their previous form as anything we'll ever get from the band. The album is heavy, can be progressive, and lacks the standard screech-scream-softly sing song structure that had become so prevalent on the previous two albums. The album feels as if it were made solely for fans who supported the band early, and not for the recent fans gained.

While the previous two albums only contained a couple of bright spots, this album only contains a couple of duds: "Scream with me" and "Dead Inside" are seemingly the most radio-friendly, and a bit safe for a highly regarded Mudvayne album. Everything else on display is quality stuff.

The best of the album, and a great representation of the band I originally fell in love with is "Heard it All Before" and "Burn the Bridge". One is a bit progressive and one features a more conventional structure, but both display the undeniable talent of a creative Mudvayne: they create beautiful and catchy music out of ugly and off sounds.

Other high points include "Closer" (not at all like the NIN classic of the same name!), "I Can't Wait", and "Out to Pasture". Each song utilizes some of Mudvayne's best features, be that Chad Grey's unique vocals, Matt's unorthodox drumming, Ryan's groovy bass-lines, etc...

So while Mudvayne may not be a classic in the sense that LD 50 and The End of All Things to Come is, it's still a very worthwhile listen. The band could have taken the safe road and released another all radio-friendly album, but they didn't. Instead, they churned out something special for their original fans. I can only hope they do so again in the future.

Being someone who has recently experienced much pain and loss in life, this album grabbed to the cords of my soul and picked me up. I was lost for a long time not knowing what i wanted out of life and one day i was driving in my car and "1,000 miles" and "Burn the Bridge" thrashed my brain synapses and i finally knew what i wanted out of life. Technically speaking this album is layered with sound and crisp vocals. Like every Mudvayne album all members of the group shine in their own passages without overtaking one another while still delivering a decisive uppercut to naysayers reviews. This band, however much or little you may like, has always and will continue to change the way i think, look and hear things in everyday life. I for one am a devout fan of Mudvayne and Hellyeah, this music kicks major ass and always puts me in the right mindset. I can not wait to see what the next epic project will be!

I got this as a gift for my girlfriend, who is a big fan of Mudvayne, and she really enjoyed it. The cover art is a bit gimmicky, but I guess it is cool. The music is really good and we both enjoy listening to it. *Please note, that everything in the package, including the cd, the cover art, and the booklet all appear completley white unless they are viewed under black light.

I've never been one of those people who expected a beloved band to sound the same in subsequent releases. In fact, musicians must evolve, grow, and experiment in order to maintain creative vitality. It can be a tricky equation indeed for a band to balance growth with what made them great in the first place. While I loved LD50 and EOATTC I will just say that I've been less than thrilled with everything Mudvayne released following those landmarks.

Lost and Found wasn't completely terrible, and I even somewhat liked it at first but it felt uninspired and ultimately fell flat for me, despite having a few standout tracks. To me it just felt like they had dropped most of the elements that made their music stand out in the first place (and I'm not talking about the costumes and makeup) for a sound more that could be described as generic hard rock band X.

But with this new self titled release, Mudvayne seem to have rediscovered inspiration and complexity. For the first time in seven years, I'm excited about a new Mudvayne album almost to the degree I was when I heard LD50. How the album will hold up over the course of time remains to be seen, but this feels like an album I'll still be listening to years from now, just as I still listen to the early albums. I'm not saying this album is a retread as its not, but it seems to mine a similar vein of inspiration. Beyond that I say check out the album and decide for yourself. This is not the same derivative band circa 2005. This album reminds me of what drew me to the band in the first place-a blend of experimentation, unpredictability, and a meeting of the heavy and melodic sides.

This album amazes me. On the first listen to this album I almost pasted out. This is the album I have been waiting for.
This is a must have album.

This album seems very much geared for the hardcore Mudvayne fans. It seems more like LD50 and The End of all Things to Come. Very raw, unpredictable and heavy, something Mudvayne strayed from on the last two records. 1000 Mile Journey seems to be my favorite so far. I think Mudvayne recognized their fan base was crying out for the older sound from them, and they very much delivered. This album isn't about singles, its the real deal, all killer and no filler!

Once upon a time, when nu-metal still ruled the world, Mudvayne were on the cutting edge. With their experimental and unpredictable debut, L.D. 50, the Peoria, Illinois quartet turned the genre on its head with its unconventional song structures, iconic stage make-up and a perfect balance of aggression and melody. Over time, though, their quest to keep with the times meant the streamlining of their sound, as later releases such as Lost and Found saw the band ditching the image as well as a hefty chunk of inspiration. To put it bluntly, their sound has been watered down more and more with each release, and it seems all hope has been lost. That is, until now.

Believe it or not, Mudvayne's self-titled fifth album is somewhat of a return to form. Coming hot off the heels of last year's The New Game and recorded simultaneously, it's a surprising shift from the somewhat predictable sound the band has been meddling with for the latter half of the decade. For the first time since the first album (and perhaps the second), it sounds like the band could care less about radio success, which is good, since the band currently have no plans to promote or push the album. The album is dark, heavy, experimental and uncompromising. In a nutshell, it's what Mudvayne fans have long been screaming for.

Despite the tone of the album, the band can still churn out a catchy tune here and there, as evidenced by the first single, "Scream With Me" and the crushing "Beautiful and Strange," which is perhaps the best example of the band's old style seeping into the new. For the most part, though, the album tears through its eleven songs with massive riffing, chugging basslines and pummeling drums, finally settling down on the moody closing track, "Dead Inside," which, in spite of its acoustic guitars does not resemble HELLYEAH (the supergroup featuring two-quarters of Mudvayne in its ranks) in the slightest.

It's a shame, then, that the band has chosen not to push the album, as it is the best thing they've had to offer in years, and more than makes up for the mediocre "The New Game." To many fans, this is the album that should have followed The End of All Things to Come and is the rare kind nowadays that gets better with each successive listen. If you have ever been a fan of Mudvayne and have lost faith in the band, prepare to be surprised and reeled back in. Hopefully the lack of activity for the band at the moment doesn't spell trouble in the future, as more albums like this could definitely help their name rise to the cream of the crop once again.

For the record, though, the blacklight-activated album art was a terrible idea. I buy physical copies because I enjoy looking at the artwork, not blank liner notes. Using a blacklight to view the tracklisting or even the cover is a bit of a pain, even if a blacklight included in the deluxe edition. Granted, it's obviously a gimmick meant to curb pirating and encourage fans to make the purchase, but it's not going to make that much of a difference in the end, and doesn't enhance the overall enjoyment of the album in the slightest.