Monster Magnet Mastermind
by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer
Any band that’s been on the scene for 20+ years is bound to go through changes: band members, levels of fame, style revamps; you know the drill. Monster Magnet have faced all of these and more (Dave Wyndorf’s nearly fatal prescription drug overdose a few years back, for instance), yet somehow they always seem to come out on top. With Mastermind, MM again prove that they not only have staying power, but also an endless devotion to producing quality—and honest—rock and roll.
For those who have followed the band over the years, you’ve come to know that Monster Magnet 2010 is a very different beast from Monster Magnet 1990. Long gone are the endless psychedelic jams of Tab and Spine of God, and even the stoner-heavy riffing of Dopes to Infinity is less pronounced. Instead, Mastermind is much more a continuation of Monster Magnet’s last two releases (Monolithic Baby and 4-Way Diablo), showcasing the band’s knack for creating hard-driving riff rock. Sure, fans of the other incarnations of the band may have drifted and new fans have come in, but like the aforementioned seminal releases, Mastermind holds its own in the MM catalog.
Opener “Hallucination Bomb” feels a bit like a continuation of “Melt” from God Says No, showcasing a slower, heavy riff with Dave’s always effective, host-like narration vocals. “Bored With Sorcery” follows and kicks things into high gear in straight-forward headbanging style.
“Dig That Hole” features some “whoa-oh” vocals that would be at home in any Misfits-inspired punk band chorus, making one wonder what a Wyndorf/Danzig collaboration might sound like. Whether the two would get along is a good question (they are both dominating forces in their respective bands), but it’s hard to imagine that they wouldn’t create one of the darkest, coolest records ever heard.
Lead single “Gods and Punks” is a catchy rock song, but it lacks the knockout chorus of previous opening singles “Unbroken (Hotel Baby)” or “Heads Explode.” While not a bad track, it seems an odd choice to draw in new fans or reinspire old. The ultra-catchy “Perish in Fire” would have made a better first single, but perhaps the band will use it as the follow-up.
While mostly a consistently rocking record, perhaps the greatest moments come in the form of the less rock-driven tracks. “The Titan Who Cried Like a Baby” is dark and droney, strangely mixing the vibe of a horror movie soundtrack with bits of Queen.Weird? Sure, but damn effective. “Time Machine” is mellow and slow, and could almost have worked for Johnny Cash (for whom Glenn Danzig wrote a song—see, the collaboration idea grows stronger.) “Ghost Story” also sports a laid-back vibe, and while not instantly reminiscent of them, creates a similar atmosphere to classics “Black Balloon” and “Baby Gotterdammerung.” Dave truly excels and creating very cinematic soundscapes, and it would interesting to hear him do an entire album of “non-rock.”
Honestly, there’s not too much else to say about Mastermind. Is it as mindblowingly heavy as Superjudge or brilliant as Powertrip? No, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a great record. Hell, coupled with Riotgod’s debut from earlier this year (featuring bassist Jim Baglino and drummer Bob Pantella), it’s going to be hard to find another record to compete for most rocking album of 2010. It may not be the most original rock record ever created, but for a band with such a storied history, Mastermind is still good enough to give the young ones something to aspire to.
Genre: Hard Rock
Band:
Dave Wyndorf (v,g)
Ed Mundell (g)
Phil Caivano (g)
Jim Baglino (b)
Bob Pantella (d)
Track Listing:
1. Hallucination Bomb
2. Bored with Sorcery
3. Dig That Hole
4. Gods and Punks
5. The Titan Who Cried Like a Baby
6. Mastermind
7. 100 Million Miles
8. Perish in Fire
9. Time Machine
10. When the Planes Fall from the Sky
11. Ghost Story
12. All Outta Nothin’
Label: Napalm Records
Website: www.zodiaclung.com
Hardrock Haven rating: 8.6/10