Artist: Superjoint Ritual
Label: Sanctuary Records
Release Date: 5/21/02
|
|
Title: Use Once and Destroy Artist: Superjoint Ritual Label: Sanctuary Records Release Date: 5/21/02 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
|
2 | ||
|
3 | ||
|
4 | ||
|
|
Go to Reader Reviews | ||
Abyss's Review:
Hey, remember Phil Anselmo? You might not because he's been keeping such a low profile recently. Damn! This guy is everywhere. He is currently on tour with the best of his projects, Down, which presents a great time to release another southern-infused metal record. Use Once and Destroy has a lot of familiar names from different bands, but, as with Down, Phil is the main selling point. As well he should be, he is one of the coolest frontmen in metal, a result of talent and attitude, but don't look for this record to be 'Down III'.
"Many of the songs on this album drift into territories that I don't dig that much." COC, Eyehategod, Down; these bands all have sounds in common, and so close after the release of Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow, it's a little difficult to avoid comparisons with that record. There is only so much southern metal out there, and almost all of it invokes the same influences. But while Down has become a polished, professional act, Superjoint Ritual remains, in essence and presentation, a garage band. This album is produced but not polished, and the sound is less commercial than many of the sibling bands.
Many of the songs on this album drift into territories that I don't dig that much. Some songs court the hardcore sound, which when done right (meaning: done metal) can be quite enjoyable, here it just seems to come up short. Let's just say I never really understood, nor liked, Black Flag and anything very derivative of that sound is going to meet some resistance in my ears. But even the truly metal parts to this album seem to be lacking something, but it's something hard to single out. I've thought long and hard as to what the flaw is in this album, and I'd have to single it out as a lack of consistency. It's easy to fast forward to cool riffs and breaks, but the filler in between is strictly hit or miss.
"One word review: Eh." Maybe I'm being overly hard on this record, and maybe I'm missing the point. My biggest problem with this record is that it's just an unambitious version of the dominant southern metal out there. Many may defend the bare-boned, raw production, but to me, that minimalist approach only works when the band is real hungry, and this band just isn't. One word review: Eh.
Death's Review:
Philip J. Anselmo is in eight bands. His daddy must be proud. But seriously folks, while I know I may be in the "underground minority" on this one, I must confess that-- in general-- I am a big Anselmo fan. I think the guy is talented and I think he truly loves metal. No, I don't think he is a poser; instead, I think he does everything he can to support the underground metal cause. He is certainly is a vital part of the scene in 2002, and has contributed more to the metal world than you or I have combined. For these reasons alone, I show Mr. Anselmo much respect.
Anyway, of Anselmo's eight bands, three are what you might call "major league" projects: (1) Down; (2) Pantera; and now (3) Superjoint Ritual. I've always been a Pantera fan, and I thought Reinventing the Steel was a nice return to classic "heavy metal" form, incorporating a bit of melody into the mix and stepping back from all the screaming of The Great Southern Trendkill. I gave Reinventing 5 skulls when it came out last year because of this.
"It's like hearing Pantera riffs without Dimebag Darrell's intricate and extremely fluid, original, well-developed shredding." Still times and tastes change, and right now, the Anselmo project I'm digging the most is Down. In fact, as I sit here today, I'd say that of the three major league Anselmo-fronted projects, I'd give Down 5 skulls, Pantera 4 skulls and his newest project, Superjoint Ritual, featuring an "all-star" lineup of Anselmo on guitar and vocals, Jimmy Bower on guitar, Kevin Bond ALSO on guitar, "III" (Hank Williams III?) on bass and Joe Fazzio on drums, a strong yet mere 3.
Three Skulls? "Blasphemy!" the typical Anselmo fan might scream. But you heard me right, 3 skulls. Why? Because while Use Once and Destroy is a cool record filled with some fun riffs, in the end, it is a less melodic, more Trendkill-screamy Anselmo vocal that really pales in comparison to Anselmo's amazing performance on the recent Down 2: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow. Add to that the fact that while Anselmo's (and of course Bower's and Bond's) guitar riffing on Use Once and Destroy is very cool, sounding "old-school" and "organic" yet definitely packing a hardcore crunch, the guitars are overall "less than" Pantera: for while these riffs are cool, they are extraordinarily straightforward and simple. I do like the occasional three guitar harmony notes that pop-up to provide a little bit of flavor and a little bit of a different sound. And yes, each Superjoint Ritual song grooves like the best Pantera riffs certianly do (my favorites include the interesting speed shifts and heavy, heavy groove of "The Introvert," the simple bounce of "Fuck Your Enemy," and the interesting riffs on "4 Songs") but in the end, it's like hearing Pantera riffs (meaning Pantera caliber of heaviness and speed) without Dimebag Darrell's intricate and extremely fluid, original, well-developed shredding. There are no guitar solos at all on Use Once . . . (well I suppose there are the occasional three of four note flourishes) - it simply is not that kind of record.
Continuing the Pantera comparison theme, Superjoint's drumming sounds good, aggressive and competent, yet still somehow falls short from the complete "big-kit" envelopment always displayed by Vinnie Paul. Fazzio does have serious chops and hits the snare with precision and the toms with aggression at several points, but face it, you musicians out there: while Dimebag and Vinnie may look and act goofy, they truly do shred. Remove them from the mix, and that is a step back, in my humble opinion.
"Superjoint sounds to me like Phil screaming over hardcore riffs with no solos, and for me this is clearly a step back." Yes, Superjoint are a distinct act from Pantera, and have their own distinct sound. Sort of an old-school metal/hardcore hybrid, if you will. And there is a lot of aggression and energy to be found on this record. I can't help but start banging my head incessantly in lots of places. And I AM SURE that they will kick ass live--that much comes through on the record. That pit should be violent at The World June 12 in NYC -- if it is not there is definitely something very, very wrong. But at the end of the day, Superjoint sounds to me like Phil screaming over hardcore riffs with no solos, and, like I said before, for me this is clearly a step back.
I struggled with this one for a bit, and could have easily given this a 4. So think for yourself when deciding whether to buy this one and even if you pass, make sure to come out for the party when they play live. But honestly, while this certainly has some moments, I kinda think it gets boring fast. Sure, that simple, straightforward approach may have been the very point, and if you are looking to hear Pantera riffing stripped of all pretense and trappings and distilled down to its core aggressive elements, you may really, really like this. I like it, but feel the need to be critical of it, as while the riffs themselves are often cool, the songwriting lacks texture, depth and a certain degree of the heart found all over the new Down and on many of Pantera's more intensely dynamic tracks.
Hel's Review:
What is Superjoint Ritual? Well, it features the ubiquitous Phil Anselmo doing his best Pantera-esque growl - no pretty singing here. The accompanying music is bottom heavy, with III's bass lines bringing stoner rock to mind as a comparison for style. Joe Fazzio's drumming is mostly uncomplicated and straightforward, as are the guitar lines Jimmy Bower and Kevin Bond provide.
"From time to time, things will get downright hectic... then things will slow down... this cycle will repeat a couple of times, and hey, there's a song."
From time to time, things will get downright hectic - the pace picks up, the various parts become incredibly complex, and Superjoint becomes a cacophony of sound. Then things will slow down into that groovy, sludgy, southern soulful pace that makes you reach for something green. This cycle will repeat a couple of times, and hey, there's a song. A few of them are like that.
"I was not able to pick out anything which grabbed me, not even a single song which made me want to go back and hear it again and again." Overall, I found the album to be entertaining. I was not, however, able to pick out anything which grabbed me, not even a single song which made me want to go back and hear it again and again. So while it's very good, and a lot of fun, I believe 'once' has now been used up - but do I really have to destroy it? I may want to hear it again. And so should everyone. It's important to be a well-rounded and knowledgeable metalhead.
[- Metal Judgment Home -] [- Email Metal Judgment -]
©1999 Metal Judgment. All rights reserved.