Published on May 12, 1997
Sometimes, when I’m short of ideas for reviews, I walk down the
aisles of the now-legendary Pierce Memorial Archives (make a left
turn at Main Street) and allow myself to be drawn to certain
titles. Sometimes I discover something I don’t even remember
buying, other times I realize why the item was hidden in the
basement in the first place.
And then there are the times when I wonder why I hadn’t been
incessantly listening to an item and allowed it to collect dust
with the rats (and Ratt, for that matter). Today’s subject,
Helmet’s
Meantime, falls under that category.- since its unearthing,
I haven’t taken it out of the tape deck of my car.
The magic on this one is everywhere. Fronting the whole show is
lead vocalist/guitarist Page Hamilton. One minute he’s screaming
his lungs out, the next minute he’s singing in an almost
introspective style. The dual guitar work of Hamilton and Peter
Mengede takes your head and repeatedly slams it against the wall –
pain never felt or sounded so good. John Stanier’s drum work is
simply unbelievable – I’m very impressed with his bass drum work –
and Henry Bogdan’s bass work provides the solid backbeat for the
rest of the band.
From the opening notes of “In The Meantime,” Hamilton and crew
incite an aural attack that doesn’t relent for the short –
way too short – time that
Meantime plays. The band’s production work – with some
recording work by Chicago’s own Steve Albini – shows that no one
knows the band’s sound better than the members themselves. From the
sharpness of the guitar chords to the incredible snare drum shots,
this is one of the best-produced albums I think I’ve ever
heard.
You need proof? Check out “Ironhead,” where Hamilton works up a
good head of lather and builds from a growl to an ear-piercing
scream that sounds like he’s shredded what’s left of his vocal
cords. In a word, incredible. The two singles, “Give It” and
“Unsung,” are more than adequate proof why Helmet gained a solid
fan base in both the college alternative and the metal worlds.
I could go on and on and just fill this review with ass-kissing
remarks about
Meantime‘s power and the fact that there is not a weak spot
on this album, but I’d rather let the music do the talking. At
under 40 minutes in length, Helmet has probably created one of the
best metal/alternative crossover albums ever recorded.
Helmet has gone through some personnel changes and a loss of
critical acclaim since this album came out in 1992. But even if
Meantime is their swansong, it’s one hell of a treasure to
leave behind.