Customer Reviews

Skeletons

5 star:		(50)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Out of Washington D.C., Nothingface's latest album "Skeletons" clearly demonstrates a broad increase in range and musicianship for the band since their last album "Violence", which was also a great album. Stylistically, Nothingface is reminiscent of Mudvayne, but with a unique sound of their own, that combines very aggressive & intense metal with engaging harmonies and melodies. Overall, I rate the album with 5 out of 5 stars, whose songs are angry and highly critical of organized Christian churches and policies of the current U.S. presidential administration. My individual track ratings (out of 5 stars) are listed below:

1. "Machinations" (5). Begins with several seconds of very soft instruments before awakening to aggressive guitar & percussion accompanied with whispering vocals from Matthew Holt. The song then blossoms with combination of both screaming and harmonic vocals that are accompanied by very intense guitar or softer instruments. This is a complex song, whose lyrics attack conformity and blind allegiance to government bureaucrats.
2. "Beneath" (5). A more melodic song with great harmonies accompanied by less aggressive guitar, with intensity waiting just beneath the surface. (An aptly named song that criticizes organized religion.)
3. "Murder is Masturbation" (5). Very hard hitting & emotional combination harmonic and aggressive vocals accompanied by aggressive guitar. Several changes in mood make this another complex song whose lyrics criticize war.
4. "Ether" (4.5). Non-aggressive, but emotional song with strong harmonies and good guitar. The lyrics criticize the current U.S. presidential administration and its policies in the Middle East.
5. "I Wish I Was A Communist" (5) Very fast, intense and aggressive song with screaming vocals that criticize the current U.S. presidential administration.
6. "In Avernus" (4). An intense song with less aggressive guitar whose energy comes from the unusual harmonies of two voices. The lyrics paint a less than rosy picture of organized religion.
7. "Patricide" (4.5). The song combines harmonic & soft verses with powerful and aggressive choruses whose lyrics discuss hate.
8. "Here Come The Butchers" (5+) Awesome beginning with percussion leading into very aggressive vocals and guitar. My favorite song on the album, which is an indictment of abusive priests within the Catholic Church.
9. "I Am Him" (5). A less aggressive but fast, very harmonic and melodic song with great vocals and lyrics that mock organized religion.
10. "Scission" (4). A melodic and harmonic song that is somewhat more aggressive than the last by using more guitar. The lyrics imply taking control of one's own life from religion.
11. "Big Fun At The Gallows" (5). A fast, intense and aggressive song with powerful, screaming vocals accompanied by aggressive guitar that includes harmonic choruses. Some very good guitar riffs and a very heavy ending. The lyrics describe the ability of organized religion to destroy.
12. "Incarnadine" (4). The song starts very aggressive, intense and fast with somewhat monotonic screaming vocals, but switches to very harmonic vocals before slowing into a much softer sound. The song is complex as it moves back and forth between aggressive and soft lyrics that criticize war and violence.
13. "All Cut Up" (4). A fast and aggressive song that again combines screaming vocals for the verses, but with more harmonic choruses. Lots of aggressive guitar accompany the lyrics that criticize current U.S. policies, which favor the military.

Matthew Holt (vocals), Sickles (drums), Tom Maxwell (guitars) and Bill Gaal (bass & keyboards) did a fantastic job with "Skeletons". If you enjoy groups such as Mudvayne, Slipknot, Stone Sour and Disturbed, you should definitely check out Nothingface because you just might like them.

Not much has been said about the demise of Nothingface, yet another band that develops a new genre, and never gets enough credit.
Put Tool, Government Issue, Bad Brains, and Slayer together, and you've got this D.C.-area band. Their musicianship is (should start saying was, they broke up after this album) at the level of a band like Tool: not many guitar solos and common strong structures, just great riffs, blazing syncopation, and thundering precision. G.I.'s early emo influence comes in when you hear the guitarist's and lead singer's melodies - songs like Beneath and Ether are completely captivating, and maybe even quite accessible. The band exhibits the energy of another D.C. band called Bad Brains, which just so happens to be the best hardcore band to ever grace this earth. And Slayer-quality thrash is thrown in for good measure.
But the one thing that distinguishes Nothingface is this sing-nice-and-clean-and-pretty one minute, and then growl profanities the next. Some call it a schizophrenic way of playing music. Play Scission, and then play Murder is Masturbation - get the idea? What the hell is that all about? It just shows the range that was Nothingface. Only now are bands like Avenged Sevenfold and Atreyu making it extremely popular. No, it's not "Screamo" like Thursday. It's a pure assault that was known as Nothingface. Woe is music ... if the band is reading this, get your act together and put out another album.
By the way, Violence is almost equally as good. I couldn't really get in to the earlier releases as much (Pacifier and Audio Guide), I guess some prefer them because Nothingface was rawer, and less polished in its early days.
I guess good music is just like art - they never appreciate it enough, until the artist dies (or disbands). Quick question, though - did the band take its name from another great, landmark, groundbreaking metal/punk/hardcore/prog-rock album called "Nothingface" by Voivod? I'd like to know.

After Violence, Nothingface's 2000 release, anticipation ran high in the hearts of many fans. This anticipation was prolonged no further when Skeletons was introduced in 2003. After a summer long stint on the annual ozzfest tour, Nothingface regretfully announced their separation as a band. If only one good thing could have come out of this separation, it is that the four members of Nothingface went out with a bang.

Skeletons proved to be a unique look into singer Matt Holt's mind, and the musical integrity of guitarist Tom Maxwell, bassist Bill Gaal, and drummer Sickles. This album can be best described as a roller coaster of metal, melody, and emotion. The melody of which is mostly concentrated on songs like "Beneath", "Ether", "In Avernus" and "Scission". On the other end of the musical spectrum, there are songs such as "Here Come The Butchers" and "I Wish I Was A Communist" that are brutal and unrelenting. To be sure things are not completely lopsided, there is a collection of songs like "Big Fun At The Gallows", "All Cut Up", and "Murder Is Masturbation" that combine intense riff driven versus with melodic choruses. One of the highlights of this album, "Incarnadine", happens to be down right schizophrenic, melding moments of calm, soothing collection and intense hair ripping anger.

The lyrics by Holt are well written and sometimes intriguing. The subject matter mostly deals with corruption in religion, government, and society. This corruption also seems to be the cause of a battle within Holts own emotions at times, causing stages of mental anguish in songs like "Incarnadine" and "Patricide". The musical theme of this album seems to state that a person's feelings aren't always angry, and aren't always calm, but should always be delt with. The music works well in conjunction with the lyrics to convey this message.

Be warned however, die hard metal enthusiasts might find some of this album slow and boring, while melodic metal and hard rock fans may find some of this album boring for the very opposite reason. For those who enjoy all kinds of metal this very well may be the perfect album to sink your teeth into.

It's been a long time coming, but the wait is finally over. NothingFace has finally released a new album, "Skeletons." While it may not be as dark or as heavy as their past albums, it still delivers as being a raw and brutal metal album executed perfectly.

One of the most disturbing and hardcore metal bands I listen to, NothingFace delivers to the fullest on their new album. Just when you think they couldn't match up to their last album "Violence," they do. "Skeletons" is a great album that is much more complex and structured than the last albums. The lead singer also sings more and takes full advantaged of his great singing voice. Don't let that worry you any though, because he still screams with the best of them and there are plenty of songs where he is constantly screaming and yelling.

Some people are complaining that "Skeletons" isn't heavy and that the band has sold out. I really have to disagree with this. Yes, this album isn't has heavy as "Violence," but it's not trying to be. It has a name of its own and a look and feel of its own. If it were as dark or as heavy as the last albums, then it'd be the same thing again. NothingFace has done a tremendous job of avoiding that on all their albums. (Do I have to bring up Godsmack again and how their last album sounds like the others? See, change is good.) And even though this isn't NothingFace's heaviest album, it is still very, VERY heavy. It is still disturbing and it is still stuff you are most likely never to see on TRL. I don't even think I've ever heard these guys played on the radio at all, and I don't think I ever will.

Every song is great, which is usually the case with this band. My favorites though are "beneath," "ether," "scission," "here come the butchers," "big fun at the gallows," "patricide," and "incarnadine." But they're all very good and it's one of those CDs you don't have to worry about skipping tracks.

This album is not for those who get easily offended. This is NothingFace were talking about, and if you know anything about the group it is that they love to put out very dark and disturbing albums. If you are very religious and don't like songs that attack religion in any way, DO NOT GET THIS ALBUM. "Here come the butchers" is all about the group's hatred towards organized religion, mainly because of their anger towards the sex scandals involving the Priests and how very little is being done to stop it. It is one of the most intense and angry songs I have ever heard against religion. Even Marilyn Manson can't top this one.

NothingFace is one of my favorite metal bands, and they continue to put out great music. Again, this isn't a band for everyone. If you liked their other albums, chances are you will like this one. I still think "Violence" is their best work, but "Skeletons" is an outstanding album. I was never disappointed with it for one second.

Great new album from a great band, Nothingface really has evolved into the band they are today and it shows in this album of crushing guitars and melodic verses.

1.Machination - A great opener that really shows what this record is all about, great pauses in the guitars for the singing.

2.Beneath - Awesome! A great pitch and even greater lyrics. Also very good chorus.

3.Murder Is Masterbation - Very angry song that leads you to a diffrent point an steers you right back. Bass playing sounds very much like Mudvayne.Also very good break and singing towards the end.

4.Ether - Wow! Just great lyrics and a powerful message, also with a very catchy chorus. "Where we Belong,Its darker than space"

5.I Wish I Was A Communist - Headbangers unite! This is it, This is where the Nothingface from Violence comes through, just full out heavy metal.

6.In Avernus - Not very catchy, but a very well put together song, they bring the groove on this one and really makes your head move.

7.Patricide - Song for the singer, this shows that a band this caliber can do something else besides slam the guitars.

8.Here Come The Butchers - The Amazon download and the best song title ever. Also has some of the best pitch changes on the cd.

9.I am Him - Weird Background electronic sounds with a great chorus and tempo.

10.Scission - Best Chorus ever! So catchy, and they sound like an alt. band at times.Great singing.

11.Big Fun At The Gallows - Moshpit supercharger! The pits are gonna be goin crazy on this one, more of a singing chorus than the opposed screaming lyrics on this song.

12.Incardine - Fast speed metal opener, with great drum work and very angry singing.With a nice break in the middle to catch your breath.

13.All Cut Up - Going out with a bang, This sums it up, heavy guitars and choir singing for a chorus.

All in all a great cd that really gets goin and matures this band as a real metal influence.I loved it and i recommend that everyone add Skeletons to your collection.

Like most of Nothingface's CDs, I had a hard time getting used to the songs on Skeletons and actually enjoying them. But once you understand them and appreciate them, this CD takes over your mind for the next month or so. The reason why NF fans might not like Skeletons at first is probably because this CD is more "mature" and "grown up" and bla bla bla ....

But when it gets down to it, this whole CD is good ol' Nothingface at its best. You know when bands say "our next CD is going to be even HEAVIER and more MELODIC" and you think to yourself 'yeah, right!'.... well, Skeletons is just that.

If you've never heard Nothingface, then I suggest you download "Incarnadine". This is classic Nothingface. Blending brutal screams, razor sharp guitars, and pounding drums with soft nurturing breakdowns and choruses.

Favorite tracks: All of them!!

Well, nothingface is back with a new album and it's different...sorta. Out of the 13 songs, 7 of them are your typical violent, heavy, nothingface. The other 6 are heavy but contain no screaming or whatnot. Just straight up clean vocals, which is good because matt has a great voice! Basically, if you liked the song Bleeder from their Violence cd, you will like those six said songs because they are in the same vein, just no screaming.

One of the things i like about this album is that all 13 songs are actual songs. No stupid 1 minute long short tracks filled with noise that all bands seem to do these days. Another thing I like about this album is that the later tracks are the best. Tracks 8 through 13 are my favorites. This is good because usually when a album has 13 songs, most of them are [aweful]. Also, on a lot of cds (even good ones) tracks 7, 8, and 9 are usually not as good as the other ones. Not in this case on this cd.

As you would come to expect from nothingface, all the songs contain awesome riffs. They are not techinal death metal riffs but they are good for what they are. The drumming is good, sickles is a good drummer. The bass is good i guess, just standard bass.

In the end, this a great release and I'm going to be jamming it for awhile. I don't give it 5 stars though because it doesn't have the intensity of their other 3 cds. It's not as good as violence but that cd is a masterpiece and I doubt they will ever top it anyway. The cover to this album is pretty cool looking too.

for some real good music check out anything by children of bodom and death. Also look forward to the new iron maiden, testament, and iced earth albums this year

I'm a huge Nothingface fan. I never tire of listening to Everyday Atrocity, Violence or Pacifier, but I must say that Skeletons shows incredible range. Some call this album a softer release and it may be, but Matt's vox are so well developed that you won't care. I think to truly appreciate this album, you have to listen to all of the albums in the order of their release date. You'll see the changes that have gone on, but I have yet to hear one bad song by this band. My favorites are Beneath, Murder is Masterbation, Scission and Patricide. Definately pick this up, it's what real metal should sound like, no gimmicks, just soul and emotion.

Nothingface has done exactly what they should for this album. They've evolved yet maintained the quality in their music that makes them one of the best metal bands out there. I'd say this will probably be one of the best three albums of the year; I can say for sure once I've heard the new Dog Fashion Disco and Spineshank albums. Simply put, I don't think it's possible to surpass such an album. Like stated before, Nothingface has evolved in some aspects while maintaining some other of their qualities. One of the most noticable maintained standard of the music is a broad mix of Matt Holt's vocals, from his unique smooth singing voice to his top-of-the-industry screaming voice. For those that are fans of classic heavier Nothingface music, try songs such as the awesome opener "Machination," "I Wish I was a Communist" (very much like the songs off of Pacifier), "Big Fun at the Gallows" (also very Pacifier-ish), "Incarnadine," and "All Cut Up" (sounds so much like Violence tracks that it's scary). And an interesting note about "Machination" and "Incarnadine": though they both are very classic for Nothingface heavy music, they both have significant interludes into the softer side of their music. However, I assure you these are only interludes and they do return to their heaviness. Also check out "Beneath," "Ether," "In Avernus," and "Patricide" for more tastes of that classic sound that makes Nothingface what they are. Though, do note that these are all much slower paced songs and while "Beneath" and "In Avernus" sound much like the tracks off of Violence, "Patricide" and "Ether" have their older sound from An Audio Guide... ("Patricide" should be a favorite for anyone who likes "So Few," a personal favorite of mine, off of An Audio Guide). Though, do not think that just because I so easily compare all of these songs to their old songs and albums that their new ones are... nothing new. No, they all have that little thing to them that makes one say "yes, they are new, they've never done that before!" And what about the other 4 unmentioned tracks, "Murder is Masturbation," "Here Come the Butchers," "I am Him," and "Scission"? Well, they're just different enough to call them a new style for Nothingface. Though, "Murder is Masturbation" and "Here Come the Butchers" are very heavy and "I am Him" and "Scission" are much softer. Again, do not let this comment discourage you; just because it's a newer style for Nothingface doesn't mean they've sold out or just plain gone crazy with their music. One may still listen to these songs and still easily tell that they're Nothingface. In fact, I'd say "Murder is Masturbation" and "Scission" are two of the best tracks off of Skeletons. For a first time listener to Nothingface (and Skeletons is a great album to start on), try the songs "Beneath," "Murder is Masturbation," "Patricide,"Here Come the Butchers," and "Scission". To those more familiar with Nothingface, listen to any track you wish. This is truly a gem in the fact that there is not a single track of less than excellent quality. To cap this off, here's my track by track rating (out of 10):
1. "Machiniation" (8)
2. "Beneath" (9)
3. "Murder is Masturbation" (10)
4. "Ether" (8)
5. "I Wish I was a Communist" (9)
6. "In Avernus" (9)
7. "Patricide" (10)
8. "Here Come the Butchers" (10)
9. "I am Him" (8)
10. "Scission" (10)
11. "Big Fun at the Gallows" (7)
12. "Incarnadine" (10)
13. "All Cut Up" (9)
Enjoy!

Nothingface is one of the few bands out there that have made a better record each time they have released a new CD. "Skeletons" is easily the bands strongest CD to date. Though their last CD "Violence" was a great album, "Skeletons" is a definite improvement. "Skeletons" shows more of a variety of skills from every member of the band. Nothingace seems to just get better with every release, which not many other bands can say these days.