Slipknot - Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.

Even if you're too kvlt or elite to enjoy modern Slipknot, you should check this album out if you're into heavy music with an alt rock twist (for example, if you like Mike Patton's work, Mr Bungle 'clone' bands a la Dog Fashion Disco and Tub Ring, or the heavier end of alt rock like some Tom Waits, Primus, Ween, etc.) or anything that's just a bit different.

Before the height of nu metal (when the aforementioned bands were king) a little known Iowan nontet (is that the right word?) by the name of Slipknot self-released a limited run of 1000 copies of this demo album. Obviously since their explosion into the mainstream with their next release, the self-titled 'Slipknot' in 1999 with the lineup everyone knows and loves (or hates), this has become quite a sought after little gem.

As I said, the lineup is a little different, most notably Corey Taylor was not yet in the band, and front vocals were handled by one Anders 'Stupid Stage Name' Colsefni. He doesn't have the raw talent that Taylor does but does have a more abrasive, "angry bald-sounding dude" style, which I know plenty of you may prefer!

Musically this release nods to the bands mentioned previously, but with a more straight up heavy angle. For example, you might listen to album-closer (and hidden track) Dogfish Rising and say "boy howdy this sounds like a more heavier Ween" if your grammar is particularly bad. There's also a bit of Bunglesque genre-hopping on tracks like Do Nothing/Bitchslap, and a jazzy/surfy influence behind tracks like Confessions. Speaking of which, that track contains the best bass work I've ever heard from Paul Gray (RIP), a man who was clearly far better than he let himself get away with in later Slipknot tunes. Downloading the entire album is worth it to hear that bassline alone.

For the record, I do like 'Slipknot' and 'Iowa' (nearly all of the songs from this release were re-worked, some beyond recognition, for those two albums) but find their latest two albums too radio rock for my tastes.

Give old 'Knot a chance.

Tom Waits - Mule Variations

It's no secret that I'm a huge Tom Waits fan, and this record is both critically and personally to me one of his best. Perhaps it's no coincidence that my favourite track; album opener 'Big in Japan', features none other than Primus as the backing band.

This release is arguably his first to demonstrate the somewhat experimental, alt-rock sound that he has stuck with, and consistently improved upon ever since.

I'm not really sure what else to say about it as the man's material speaks for itself. I can't even think of anything funny to say about it.

So I'll shut up while you listen for yourself.

Mr Bungle - California

Mr Bungle's fantastic opus. I'm sure I don't really need to introduce these guys but apparently I'm going to anyway.

Mr Bungle were sort of retroactively brought into the limelight after vocalist Mike Patton got the gig with Faith No More (after FNM guitarist Jim Martin heard Patton's vocal work on the Bungle demos no less). Although throughout their time together, Bungle had a few varying lineups, constant members Trey Spruance (guitar) and Trevor Dunn (bass) are amongst the names you'd probably recognise for their continued work in the alternative/jazz/world music/rock/metal/genre-hopping madness...uh, scene?

Speaking of their genre-hopping ways, this album is a lot less freeform than predecessor Disco Volante, and as such is many peoples' favourite Bungle album. Although the wildly varied influences are still present, they are much more reined in and integrated in the song structures, as opposed to Volante's tendency to erratically switch between them several times in one song. Impressive, but a bit too much for the casual listener, whereas in all honesty, you could probably play this album to your elderly white haired mother. Well, maybe.

The album is titled as such due to some beef with the Red Hot Chili Peppers (whose album Californication came out in 1999, the same year) due to Anthony Kiedis supposedly demanding Bungle be removed from several European festival lineups or he would take his band-shaped ball home back to LA and probably just have sex with some heroin or whatever. Turns out this childish move was due to the fact that he believed Bungle had ripped off the Chilis, despite actually running rings around them in terms of musical ability and composition. Compare your favourite RHCP song to 'Goodbye Sober Day' and try to come up with a valid reason why Patton and co shouldn't have got Kiedis' junkie ass dropped from festival season instead.

Bass solo brodown

Les Claypool - Of Fungi And Foe

To kick things off I'm gonna post Les' second and most recent solo effort. I prefer this album over Of Whales And Woe, the songs are arranged more interestingly, though that's not to say 'Whales...' is dull in the slightest. If you've heard the new Primus effort and how it's style is somewhat darker than their pre-reformation releases, you'll find the seeds of said style sown on this album.

'Bite Out Of Life' is the stand out tune for me, the manic vocal stylings of Gogol Bordello's Eugene Hutz play off well against Les' more driven approach, whilst musically it's one of the quicker numbers. It makes me like to imagine I'm going mental at some sort of barn dance/people weeing on each other party while they perform the song live and I'm like 3 feet from the stage and Hutz is getting all up on the speakers and shit, maybe weeing on somebody (not me, I'm not there for the wee party).

Also the other songs are good. The tracks Les composed for the Mushroom Men games and Pig Hunt make an appearance too.

Funkus