Mushroomhead - The Righteous & the Butterfly (2014)^{Release ID: 7014}

It's strange how Mushroomhead is part of the nu/alt-metal pack but has never gained the huge success many of their other peers have gained. Nonetheless, this band has a large fanbase that barely of those other bands have. The dedication fans have for Mushroomhead is a good reason for their 3-decade existence at this point, and why open-minded metalheads, such as myself, have no trouble at all with albums like this one, The Righteous and the Butterfly!

Following up from the heavy Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children, the industrial-ish nu/alt-metal blend of brutality and beauty still stands in this album. The Righteous and the Butterfly introduces two new members, guitarist Tommy Church and bassist Ryan "Dr. F" Farrell. Jason "J Mann" Popson returns on vocal duties to make a 3-vocalist lineup (or 4 if including their later vocalist Jackie Laponza who guest appears in one song here). The title pays tribute to two longtime contributors who passed away in the years leading up to this album, former guitarist JJ Righteous and band photographer Vanessa Solowiow (drummer Skinny's wife). RIP...

Opening this album is "Our Apologies" that pretty much summarizes all that Mushroomhead is known for. Then we take on "How Many Times" that's more melodic and ominous as h*ll. "Devils Be Damned" continues the hardcore adrenaline that's gotten the band this far in their career. "Qwerty" is a song that sounds weird at first, but eventually I end up loving it to bits. This might've also happened to my brother because he loves it as well. I guess you can consider this Slipknot performing at a haunted carnival. Seriously, this band should've had greater fame than Slipknot. The haunting piano makes a comeback in "Portraits of the Poor". It very well sums up the slower Mushroomhead tracks of yore that can please both modern metal fans and ballad lovers.

"Childlike" has haunting beauty with the vocals mainly done by Jus Mic of 10.000 Cadillacs. "This Cold Reign" launches back into heaviness to tear you apart. And again in "We are the Truth" with its country-like guitar and the aforementioned guest vocals by Jackie Laponza. The Best Buy version has a few bonus remixes of that song at the end of the album. If you thought there's not much experimentation left here, "Son of 7" will have you think otherwise. Another standout, "For Your Pleasure" has pretty much everything you can find from Mushroomhead, practically from every era. A true gem!

"Worlds Collide" sounds like you're going down a cave until a heavy monster crushes you. "Graveyard Du Jour" is as spooky as a graveyard while maintaining some heavy moments. One more original track "Out of My Mind" has smokin' hot metal. It practically pays great tribute to earlier heroes like Judas Priest. A high-quality heavy tune! But my actual favorite song here is their cover of Adele's "Rumor Has It". It's no rumor that this awesome cover is what got me into this band. Incredible!

All in all, Mushroomhead have their strongest album since XIII in The Righteous and the Butterfly, nicely improved from the albums in between. Both longtime fans and newcomers will love this righteous album, essential for any nu/alt-metal fans' collection!

Favorites: "Our Apologies", "Qwerty", "Portraits of the Poor", "This Cold Reign", "For Your Pleasure", "Out of My Mind", "Rumor Has It"