Artist: Helmet
Label: Interscope Records
Release Date: 1992
Rating: 4 Skulls
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Title: Meantime Artist: Helmet Label: Interscope Records Release Date: 1992
Rating: 4 Skulls |
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Reviewed by Redwolff (3/20/03):
I'm having some trouble writing this review. Usually I listen to the album I'm reviewing on the subway on the way to work and back, and I have a little notebook in which I write down my immediate reactions, gushings, rantings, whatever, take it home, type it up on the computer and that's that. Well, with this one I've gone through three days of trying to write it in the notebook - written three pages, torn them out, written two more pages, torn them out, rinse, repeat. I'm down to the last possible wire here, any more delay is only going to further extend my night of coding the rest of this site, so if you'll indulge me I'll just spew.Here's the first problem: the Helmet discography goes Born Annoying, Strap it On, Meantime, Betty, Aftertaste (feel free to alert me to any I missed, you basement dwellers). I came in at the middle there, having previously owned the second, third and fourth albums all at once, and now just Meantime as the other two were sold at some point to a used CD store in Boston. Actually I was surprised to discover that Strap it On was gone, although I remembered that Betty had sorely disappointed me. I have a tendency to discard, then regret. This all is a problem because I feel like if you're going to take on the responsibility of writing a classic review, you should have a better sense of how one album compares to the others than I do right now. All I remember is Strap it On was too noisy for me and Betty was too polished.
The second problem is that I have had this album for so long, and I've listened to it so many times through the eleven, event-filled years since its birth that every note holds special significance to me, in such a way that I could not, even with a gun to my head, review this album objectively. I've also listened to it so many times in its entirety during road trips that it is no longer possible for me to choose any stand-out tracks, or remember which song the singer is screaming Downtown Julie Brown or You better die now! in. To me, the album MUST be listened to start to finish, as though each song was a chapter in a novel that wouldn't make much sense without its fellows.
The third problem is trying to decide whether this album is more hardcore than metal or more metal than hardcore. I've heard both arguments. I think I've decided that this album was one of the first seeds of today's metalcore. I'll tell you why:
On the Hardcore side
hardcore drumming, but with a slower tempo
breakdowns
a lot of screamed vocals
repetitious songs
On the Metal side
song durations longer than hardcore bands ever produce
guitar solos! (wtf?)
a lot of clean vocals
no group choruses or yelling "Oi!"Now, whether it's a good thing or a bad thing that Helmet melded together the two genres is a matter of opinion, some people think metalcore contaminated both. Personally, I love metalcore, so I fully embrace this album and all of those by their contemporary, Sheer Terror (more on them the next time it's my turn to write the classic). But that brings me to the final problem, and the reason I am leaving off the fifth skull: I haven't brought out this album for a couple years, and after being involved with this site and hearing much sicker metalcore bands, Meantime sounds a little tame in comparison. I still think it's one of the best put-together albums ever - Helmet's signature sound was in full effect on this album and seamlessly sews together each song into an almost hypnotic tapestry. The easily understandable lyrics make it a great album to sing (or shout) along with. But unfortunately, I just cannot muster the enthusiasm for this album that I once had. It is a classic, yes, but sometimes the classics don't age as well as they should. Or maybe I've just moved on.
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