Mushroomhead - Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children (2010)Release ID: 7013
Mushroomhead and Slipknot were in a bit of a feud throughout the 2000s due to their aesthetic similarities, but then they ended their rivalry and became close friends. They even paid respects to each other's fallen members in 2010; ex-Mushroomhead guitarist John "JJ Righteous" Sekula and original Slipknot bassist Paul Gray (RIP). Though while the bands themselves have buried the hatchet, their fans are still burying hatchets into each other's heads, with some of them claiming that Mushroomhead is ripping off Slipknot. In reality, Mushroomhead's sound is much different, and they were creating music in the underground before Slipknot even formed. The situation is pretty much equivalent to people thinking Big Nate is a Diary of a Wimpy Kid ripoff when Big Nate is actually around before Wimpy Kid and both book series' authors know each other.
The global success Mushroomhead would achieve did not come until their compilation XX and their first two major-label albums XIII and Savior Sorrow, standing out from the nu/alt-metal pack with their experimental sound. The band can still stay strong despite having to leave behind one of their original vocalists and the record label that propelled them into fame, before their previous album. For this one, Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children, they continue their industrial-ish nu/alt-metal journey with more emphasis on metal. Still you can hear the Faith No More-ish wackiness to keep their stylistic personality in place.
First track/single "Come On" punches through with its heavy instrumentation and catchy vocals. The song has some notoriety in the foul chanting chorus ("Do you really wanna f*** with me?! COME ON!") and its music video that's too graphic for television. Starting off "Inspiration" is some fiddling of synths and drums that can turn off anyone who hates nu metal or industrial. I can hear a bit of Limp Bizkit in the hip-hop pace. "Slaughterhouse Road" has a lot to expect from Mushroomhead. The name of the song was the album's working title before the band changed it to its current one based on a DC Comics graphic novel series. The Faith No More influences are the most prominent in "I'll Be Here", where Tom Schmitz displays his keyboard/piano talent. The sampled children noises are a bit odd yet interesting.
"Burn the Bridge" starts with a funny beatboxing intro then launches into thrash aggression. "Holes in the Void" has more of the keyboard drama with some guest vocals by Joe Altier and Sarah Sloan. The percussive intro in "Harvest the Garden" leads to rock-out groove-ish riffing. "The Harm You Do" is close to ominous blues rock in the guitar.
The vocal contrast stands out the most in "Your Demise" between vocalists Waylon Reavis and Jeffrey Hatrix. Topping it all off is excellent soloing by Dave Felton. "The Feel" is a ballad with a lot in common with the slower tracks from other bands like Asking Alexandria, Waltari, and While She Sleeps. Can you feel?! Next track "Darker Days" has some more excellent metal guitar. The closing track "Do I Know You" has slow piano tranquility plus a brief buildup that stops in a rather anticlimactic ending.
Anyone who enjoys any of Mushroomhead's surrounding releases can very well dig this one. Whether or not you're in the Mushroomhead or Slipknot side, there's always some appeal to gain from Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children. If any outsiders consider metal an ugly genre, they don't know what they're missing out on, the beauty within!
Favorites: "Come On", "Slaughterhouse Road", "Burn the Bridge", "Your Demise", "The Feel", "Darker Days"
