Newsted – Heavy Metal Music
NEWSTED
HEAVY METAL MUSIC
Released August 6, 2013 (Chophouse Records)
Track List:
01. Heroic Dose
02. Soldierhead
03. …As The Crow Flies
04. Ampossible
05. Long Time Dead
06. Above All
07. King Of The Underdogs
08. Nocturnus
09. Twisted Tail Of The Comet
10. Kindevillusion
11. Futureality
iTunes Bonus Tracks:
12. The Differents
Deluxe Edition Bonus Tracks:
12. Spiderbiter
13. Godsnake
14. Skyscraper
Band Members:
Jason Newsted – vocals and bass
Jessie Farnsworth – guitar and vocals
Mike Mushok – guitar
Jesus Mendez Jr. – drums
Production:
Produced by Jason Newsted. Mixed by Mike Fraser.
Review:
Two CDs in the span of eight months! I wish that every band was back to the glory days of coming up with an album of new material every six months to one year! That being said, although Newsted came out with their debut EP Metal in early 2013, followed by the full-length Heavy Metal Music in early August, there are two songs from the EP featured here: “Soldierhead” and “King Of The Underdogs”. In addition, two of the three deluxe edition tracks on Heavy Metal Music are the remaining tracks from Metal. Therefore, Newsted has not really come up with two CDs of new material — but I am happy to have both albums released in the same year in any case.
If you liked Metal, you will definitely like Heavy Metal Music because the songs are really in the same vain. Metal was really just an appetizer for Heavy Metal Music. You can refer to my review of Newsted‘s debut EP here for my thoughts on the four songs that find their way onto this disc.
The good news is that there are some even better songs on Heavy Metal Music than on Metal. My favorites from the new tracks are the CD opener “Heroic Dose”, with its great guitar riff, the faster paced “Long Time Dead” and in particular “Above All”. The latter is such a good song — it starts off a little weak but the verses are so melodic and catchy, without sounding poppy in any way. My first five or so listens to Heavy Metal Music I have simply been playing it as background music while I work, and every time I have taken note of how good the song “Above All” sounds. No need to say that that song is above all the others on Heavy Metal Music for me. There are a few songs that are not as good as the others — the slower plodding “Nocturnus” can easily be skipped and is unfortunately the longest track out of the new material on Heavy Metal Music.
The one common theme with all of the songs is the heaviness that exudes from all of them. Newsted has definitely found their sound and Jason Newsted‘s rough sounding lead vocals fit quite nicely with the band’s sound. The one odd thing on this CD are some of the song titles. Newsted appears to want to create some new vocabulary with song titles such as “Ampossible”, “Kindevillusion” and “Futureality”. Whether creating new words with song titles will catch on or be continued remains to be seen.
There is no doubt how proud Newsted is of being part of the metal culture. In addition to the album being aptly named Heavy Metal Music, you can find various slogans such as “…Long Live Heavy Metal Music!!!” and “Listen To Metal” inside the CD. I think it is safe to say that Newsted is doing metal proud with Heavy Metal Music.
Reviewed by Olivier for Sleaze Roxx, September 2013
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