“CALL THE DEVIL”
RELEASED ON NAPALM RECORDS ON 9TH AUGUST
I tend to gravitate towards the bands I’ve listened to for over the last couple of decades if I’m honest, although while my taste has expanded into all manner of music, heavy metal and industrial metal groups have my heart, some of whom are still very active and releasing music regularly such as Mushroomhead. The band has changed considerably as far as members go, but they still sound like Mushroomhead, yet I think this album shows they aren’t just a one trick pony. Their new album, “Call the Devil” showcases their evolution, blending a signature sound with experimentation.
I first experienced MH back in 2003 with the release of “XIII”, a great album containing a track requiring special mention ‘Sun Doesn’t Rise’, which was featured on the horror film “Freddy Vs Jason”. As mentioned previously the band has seen plenty of change and now the current lineup features Scott Beck, Steve Rauckhorst and Jackie LaPonza on vocals, Ryan Farrell on guitar, bass, and keys, Aydin Kerr and Robert Godsey on drums, and Steve Felton on drums, percussion, keys, and vocals. “Call The Devil” also marks the return of Dave “Gravy” Felton after a 12-year hiatus.
After listen number one I was impressed and the more I’ve listened to it the more it grows on me. Jackie adds a fantastic element to the band including surprising beauty to the beastly vocals and I suspect she’ll be utilised much more with the way Mushroomhead’s music is progressing. On saying that, the band has always offered brilliant melodies, especially with their use of keyboards, and this album definitely brings that to the forefront. There’s a sense of originality in the contrast of their various vocalists too, and in the unusual song structures.
“Call the Devil” is actually quite the mixture of different idiosyncratic metal tracks, opener, ‘Eye to Eye’ is guttural and gives a real adrenaline rush whereas ‘Fall in Line’, the first single released, is heavy with lots of dark elements to it and a beautiful keyboard breakdown just before the outro which I really enjoyed. ‘Emptiness’ is a personal highlight for me. It evokes various emotions with its lyrical twists and turns, complete with mostly clean vocals, excellent keyboards and a terrific chorus. ‘We Don’t Care’ feels like it’s for rebellious teens, nu-metal-esque but also giving some Faith No More ambiances which is never a bad thing. You just know the returning Matt Wallace’s mixing influence is all over that track. ‘UIOP (A Final Reprieve)’ has a sinister tone to it especially with the circus music at the beginning, the guitars in this are intense as well to go alongside an apocalyptic chorus.
‘Prepackaged’, the other single released is heavy and raw and exactly what you expect from this band complete with a catchy chorus. ‘Decomposition’ also begins with creepy circus music but is softer compared to ‘UIPO’ and reveals some excellent clean vocals along with a gloomy atmospheric feel to it. ‘Grand Gesture’ is a more modernised track with elongated riffs and also a floating mysterious atmosphere. ‘Hallucination’ very much like the name of it, is offbeat but reveals the innovative side of the band. As it kicks in, it goes into another gear with roaring vocals and rasping guitars then back again so you’re unsure what to expect as you listen. ‘Hideous’ has an eccentric sound, and for myself I enjoyed how it trades between driving portions and then drops to lower octave vocals.
‘Torn in Two’ is very Mushroomhead! Heavy, raw and completely their own. Almost as soon as you hear this, you know it’s their sound. ‘Shame in a Basket’, the penultimate track has an heterogenous ambience, and much of this track to me has a doom metal likeness, darkly expressive, like being in an unending melancholy of despair. It’s a great track with a mesmerising aura, another highlight on the album.
The album ends with the quirky and somehow theatrical “Doom Goose”, and, yes, there is a goose on it! No, I’m not joking… bizarre but fun.
Call the Devil is rock solid. A standout album in the Mushroomhead collection that I have really taken to, especially after repeated listens. An eclectic mix it shows Mushroomhead are more than capable of breaking new ground while still maintaining their own identity. An album with originality and dark tones yet still not alienating long time fans like myself it’s definitely something, upon listening to, I think all who do so will take something positive from the experience.
Enjoy!
Call The Devil track listing:
1. Eye To Eye
2. Fall In Line
3. Emptiness
4. We Don’t Care
5. UIOP (A Final Reprieve)
6. Prepackaged
7. Decomposition
8. Grand Gesture
9. Hallelucination
10. Hideous
11. Torn In Two
12. Shame In A Basket
13. Doom Goose
UPCOMING EUROPEAN & US TOUR
EUROPE
EU/UK 2024 Tour
mit Dymytry* & Silenzer**:
09.08.24 DE – Bochum / Rockpalast Bochum *
10.08.24 FI – Kotka / Dark River Festival
11.08.24 UK – Southampton / EngineRooms * / **
12.08.24 UK – Birmingham / O2 Institute2 * / **
13.08.24 UK – London / O2 Academy Islington * / **
14.08.24 NL – Haarlem / Patronaat * / **
15.08.24 DK – Sullingen / Reload Festival
16.08.24 CZ – Moravsky Krumlov / Rock Castle
17.08.24 PL – Warsaw / Proxima *
18.08.24 PL – Kraków / Klub Kwadrat *
19.08.24 DE – Berlin / Cassiopeia *
USA 2024 Tour
mit Upon a Burning Body, There Is No Us und Mind Incision:
04.10.24 NY – Buffalo / Rec Room
05.10.24 NH – Hampton Beach / Wally’s
06.10.24 MA – Worcester / Palladium Upstairs
08.10.24 VA – Leesburg / Tally Ho
09.10.24 NJ – Sayreville / Starland Ballroom
10.10.24 PA – Lititz / Mickey’s Black Box
12.10.24 PA – Pittsburg / Preserving Underground
13.10.24 OH – Cincinnati / Bogarts
15.10.24 MI – Grand Rapids / The Intersection
16.10.24 IL – Belvidere / Apollo Theater
18.10.24 WI – Green Bay / Epic Events Center
19.10.24 IL – Joliet / The Forge
20.10.24 WI – Milwaukee / The Rave
22.10.24 IL – Moline / The Rust Belt
23.10.24 IL – Bloomington / Castle Theater
24.10.24 OH – Columbus / The King of Clubs*
25.10.24 MI – Flint / Machine Shop
26.10.24 OH – Cleveland / Agora Theater*
*No Upon A Burning Body
