.:: It's offical: Page Hamilton still has "it." "Monochrome" features all the classic moves - stutter-stops; polyrhythms; shrieking guitars; sinewy riffs that repeat at the strangest times; terse, clever vocals - that made Helmet such a welcome slap in the face in the late 80's-early 90's. After resurrecting the "Helmet" moniker for 2003's "Size Matters," Page proves in 2006 that he remains a force to be reckoned with.
"Size Matters" was decent, but still came up short of the standard set by classic albums like "Meantime." What makes "Monochrome" a great Helmet album is that Page has found his rhythmic muse again. He's cooked up a few twisted riffs here that rival "Turned Out" or "Distracted" from the early days. On bass, Chris Traynor (who tours as the rhythm guitarist) lays down a solid, supple groove, meshing perfectly with drummer Mike Jost. Jost's drum sound often recalls that of John Stanier, particularly in the force with which he strikes the skins.
Sonically, "Monochrome" sounds like what "Strap It On" would have sounded like if they had had any money at the time. This means that Page's guitar might actually sound more disgusting here than on ANY other Helmet recording - and that is a beautiful thing!
BUT !!! Page's vocals are just way off course.
What "Monochrome" delivers is a bit of old-school Helmet with very few, if any, upgrades. Songs like "Brand New" don't really sound brand new, just retreading old territory. "Monochrome" is better than "Size Matters," their previous effort, by a long shot. But is it anywhere close to what the band did in the late 80's/90's?
download: helmet - monochrome
pass: indie-ground.blogspot.com
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