Reviews list for Helmet - Strap It On (1990)

A highly influential band in 90s hard rock/alt-metal, it may seem like a shock that Helmet did not reach the mainstream as much as their peers in the alternative age. They can almost be unsung heroes! In their initial 90s run, they released 4 albums that are something for alt-rock/metal fans to die for. Strap It On is the first and probably the best I've heard from those guys. Get ready for one of the rawest, most frantic half-hours of your life!

This is more of kind of a post-hardcore album, but closer to what you would expect from Coldrain, not the wimpy variety of Dance Gavin Dance. Guitar riffs, noise, and chords build a wall of sound repeatedly punched by the rhythm section.

You can already hear alternating time signatures such as the 6 out of 8 or 4 in "Repetition". Then "Rude" has some more of that noise that your neighbors would consider rude to play as loud as an actual concert, though in an early groove-like pace. More of the simple yet never boring riffs evident later on can be found in "Bad Mood", utilized very well. You'll never be in a bad mood with that!

Another track has mostly just guitar noise in the instrumentation, "Sinatra", which is obviously not a Frank/Nancy Sinatra tribute. A tense breakdown in the beginning of "FBLA" occurs on and off alongside Page Hamilton's shouts. The groove-ish riffing in "Blacktop" is what makes that song the most metal one here. An addictive banger!

The 7/4 parts of "Distracted" is what keeps the simple instrumentation formula interesting. Predominantly in "Make Room", the vocal style is clean singing as opposed to rough yelling. The clans are sparse and different while making sure you hear the band's signature sound. In "Murder", the album's finale, "NO ONE'S SAFE!!!" yells Hamilton within a heavy storm of noise-metal.

So with all that said, is Strap It On a metal album? It's not the most metal one I heard, sounding closer to hard rock, but specifically it's alt-metal/post-hardcore with pieces of early groove. All these natural elements make this release enjoyable despite its short length. Basic beats, tough vocals, and guitar noise can sound pretty d*mn good!

Favorites: "Bad Mood", "FBLA", "Blacktop", "Distracted", "Murder"