Melvins - Thunderball (Album Review)

Release Date: April 18th 2025. Record Label: Ipecac Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Thunderball - Tracklisting

1.King of Rome 

2.Vomit of Clarity

3.Short Hair With A Wig

4.Victory of the Pyramids 

5.Venus Blood

Members:

Buzz Osborne

Mike Dillard

Void Manes

Ni Maîtres

Review

Thunderball is the new album from the legendary metallers MELVINS and this record features the core 1983 line-up of King Buzzo (Guitar/Vocals) and Mike Dillard on drumming duties. The record features five tracks that showcases some of the most riff-fuelled sound the band have made in quite some time but one that also sees them delve into Electronica experimentation thanks to the great work created by Void Manes and Ni Maîtres.

Opening track King Of Rome is a Punk, Grunge and Sludge Metal monster with MELVINS using their short running time to create a slightly commercial and offbeat sound. The song has a bass heavy atmosphere that allows the Psychedelic and Electronica beats that manifests into a hallucinogenic and psychedelic wonderland. The screeching guitars adds a level of seedy grit and Buzz Osborne’s dominant guitars and impressive vocals adds a Classic Hard Rock sound that only the MELVINS can deliver.

Second track Vomit Of Clarity is an experimental based Drone/Glitch/Psych/Electronic offering which is a stark contrast to the brilliant opening track. This has a sparse environment for Void Manes and Ni Maîtres to fully flesh out with intricate trippy beats. The song lasts over two minutes and can be quite Post-Rock based that reminds me of their fellow Sludge Metallers LOWFLYINGHAWKS at times that other members of The Melvins family have collaborated on multiple occasions.

Third song Short Hair With A Wig marries up the sonic experimentation of the previous track with that classic long drawn out progressive energy that Melvins are highly fond of. The bass heavy guitar allows the Electronica beats to weave a dark tale of mistrust before the song finally transforms into a heavy SLUDGE monster with KIng Buzzo’s pounding guitars and Mike Dillard’s intelligent and effortless drumming that builds up one hell of a racket. The drone elements are subtle and overlap with the familiar riff-centric style with precise determination and allows MELVINS 83 to form and function as one cohesive unit which makes you want to hear when the epic eleven minutes run time is finally over.

Fourth track Victory Of The Pyramids follows the same riff-fuelled pattern of the opening track King Of Rome but with a longer and progressive style of Hard Rock, Psych Rock and Grunge that is perhaps my favourite track on the whole album. The sound seems quite comforting and warm-hearted at first with the subtle and almost radio-friendly Psychedelic instrumental beats but this is THE MELVINS we’re talking about where they experiment yet again before transforming this track into a sinister blend of Noise Rock and Punk Rock. This is the closest track we ever get to the modern day line-up of MELVINS and perhaps the reason why it’s my favourite track. The lyrics are playful with King Buzzo in superb form. The stripped back approach allows the band plenty of opportunity to play different strands of Hard Rock and Metal with a jazz delivery within the quieter moments. The final moments are powered by a nightmarish style of heavy electronics leading the creative charge.

The final track Venus Blood is MELVINS at their most gloomiest and doomiest with a creepy sound merging from the subtle Sludgy guitars. Howling noises only add a sense of the OCCULT into the mix before the Electronic sounds levels everything out for another pulsating style of harsh environments. The song does have a wicked STOP / START and SLOW / FAST approach with the band using everything with nuanced sounds to great effect.

Thunderball is on the short side running under thirty five minutes but it’s what’s contained within that short running time that allows MELVINS to create another classic sounding album to their legendary discography. This is also perhaps their most fun and offbeat record in years. This is another ALBUM OF THE YEAR contender for the band and I’m looking forward to the next creative chapter from this truly ICONIC band.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Rarely Unable PR for the promo.

Tarantula Heart will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ipecac Recordings from April 18th 2024.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Melvins - Tarantula Heart (Album Review)

Release Date: April 19th 2024. Record Label: Ipecac Recordings. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Tarantula Heart - Tracklisting

1.Pain Equals Funny

2.Working The Ditch 

3.She's Got Weird Arms

4.Allergic To Food 

5.Smiler

Members

 

King Buzzo on guitar, vocals and electronic noise

Dale Crover on drums/vocals

Steven McDonald on bass/vocals

Special Guest Musicians 

Roy Mayorga on drums/synthesizers

Gary Chester on extra guitar.

Review

Tarantula Heart is the new album from the legendary Melvins who are joined by Roy Mayorga ( Drums/Synths) and Gary Chester (Guitar) for this delightfully creepy ride that can only be created and provided by this iconic band. The album is quite a different sounding album with the band employing a different recording process which King Buzzo explains below:

“The way we approached Tarantula Heart was different than any other Melvins’ album,” Buzz Osborne explained upon the album announcement. “I had Dale and Roy come in and play along with Steven and I to some riffs, then I took those sessions and figured out what parts would work and wrote new music to fit. This isn’t a studio approach we’ve ever taken. Usually we have the songs written BEFORE we start recording!”

The album opens with a nineteen minute epic song Pain Equals Funny which starts off with bittersweet melodies that transform into a Psychedelic Rock and slightly Grungy direction from the band. You begin to wonder if the band are starting to mellow out with this almost “POP” baked offering. However, give the track a few moments and the real MELVINS appear with distorted guitars, fractured drum structures and sludgy rhythms that turn into a surreal nightmare of experimental noises which will keep their legion of die-hard fans extremely happy. The vocals and lyrics are brilliantly surreal with a twisted “KOOKINESS” to them. The song is perhaps the standout track on the album with some of the most straightforward and experimental sounds contained on the whole album.

Second track Working The Ditch continues with the surreal and drowned out sounds which includes trippy soundbytes before a cool sounding groove appears with that familiar Melvins sludgy beat becoming quite distinct and progressive with some ferocious drumming to match. The vocals and lyrics are in fine nihilistic form with droned out textures and passages appearing within the music. Layered vocals and synths are another major part of this track and for the whole album with Tarantula Heart fastly becoming another essential release from the Melvins. 

Third track She’s Got Weird Arms is classic Melvins through and through with a short running time of under four minutes with the band offering another sweet natured track full of off-kilter Noise/Grunge surreal hooks and twisted melodies. The song can be quite fractured and broken with Melvins playing jagged sounds with a classy “stop/start” approach which only they can fully deliver.

The final two tracks of Allergic To Food and Smiler offers the Melvins classic twisted sense of humour and even more experimental Sludge Metal grooves with the added bonus of twisted Noise Rock distortion that appears within both tracks with perhaps Allergic To Food being another one of the albums standout tracks both from a musical and creative view.

Tarantula Heart has a sense of urgency with this perhaps being some of the fastest and aggressive sounding I’ve heard from the Melvins in quite some time. The album isn’t going to be for everyone but for the band’s dedicated loyal fan-base, they wouldn’t have it any other way. The Melvins never make the same album twice and everything they’ve released sounds different to each other and Tarantula Heart is no exception.

This is a first rate adventure from one of the iconic bands from the Sludge Metal scene and the Melvins have delivered the goods yet again. Awesome. End Of.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Rarely Unable PR for the promo.

Tarantula Heart will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ipecac Recordings from April 19th 2024.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Melvins - Pinkus Abortion Technician (Album Review)

Release date: April 20th 2018. Label: Ipecac Recordings. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Pinkus Abortion Technician – Tracklisting

1. Stop Moving To Florida

2. Embrace The Rub

3. Don’t Forget To Breathe

4. Flamboyant Duck

5. Break Bread

6. I Want To Hold Your Hand

7. Prenup Butter

8. Graveyard

Members

Buzz Osborne – Guitars/Vox

Dale Crover – Drums

Jeff Pinkus – Bass

Steven McDonald – Bass

Review

Greetings All,

It was a little less than two years ago that I did my first review for Outlaws. Steve took a chance on me and handed me the Melvins Basses Loaded. I have been a huge Melvins fan for over 20 years. I was a grunge kid being in my teens in the early 90’s. I remember going to the National Record Mart in Steubenville, Ohio to pick up Houdini the day it came out in 1993. I had read a review in Rolling Stone and was a big Nirvana fan, so I took a stab and have been hooked ever since.

2018 gives us Pinkus Abortion Technician, the bands 507^th release and 23^rd in the past two years. I’m kidding, but honestly I have lost track. The band remains insanely prolific. I believe this to be their 3^rd full length in the last 3 years, not counting solo albums, side projects, etc.

Pinkus Abortion Technician has Buzz and Dale (If you are reading this I assume you already have a working knowledge of how the Melvins operate and how their line up constantly evolves) working with their last two bassists, Jeff Pinkus (Butthole Surfers, Honky, and more) and Steven McDonald (Redd Kross, Off!, etc) in an interesting fashion that includes tons of differing styles and instrumentation. In listening to the record, I didn’t notice any specific tracks that highlighted a double bass sound. It seems the band used the opportunity to add to the unique instrumentation and song structure. The eight songs on the record are intriguing and eminently listenable.

Stop Moving to Florida opens the record. It is an amalgamation of the old James Gang song Stop and the Butthole Surfers track Moving to Florida from Rembrandt Pussyhorse. The catchy classic rock style of the Stop portion improves upon the original version, while the Florida portion is remarkably similar to the original. Embrace the Rub follows, it is a short New-Wave inspired track with a punk inspired chorus.

Don’t Forget to Breathe is a seven minute plus track that moves at a slow, methodical pace with an ominous sound and shows touches of the bands more trademark heavy/sludge sound. The song is also highlighted by an odd steel drum/synth/dulcimer sound. One of the most interesting songs on the record is the atmospheric pop of Flamboyant Duck. The song is the first of two that opens with an acoustic guitar and brings in some of Pinkus trademark banjo plucking before transforming into a heavy guitar and synth closing. An interesting note on the first half of the record is that the majority of lead vocals are done by the bassist duo and not Buzz.

Break Bread is a more straight ahead, almost southern rock tinged track. It’s no secret that the band has an affection for ZZ Top. The songs mid-tempo beat and catchy chorus give way to a noisy breakdown that reminds me a lot of the little band from Texas. Ironically, one of the heaviest songs on the record is a cover of the greatest pop group of all time.

I Want to Hold Your Hand has been a live staple for quite a few years. The song maintains the catchiness of the original but adds a real heavy punch that makes it one of the stand out tracks on the record. The Melvins prove throughout this record (as well as past albums) that they can really do some remarkable work with a cover song. Prenup Butter follows and opens once again with an acoustic guitar that gives way to a definite psychedelic guitar sound. The track has a driving drum beat that carries a dark, heavy psych stomp. A second Butthole Surfers cover of Graveyard, from the almost name sake Surfers record Locust Abortion Technician, closes the record.

This is the sludgiest, most old school Melvins sounding track on the record. The band makes it their own, while still keeping it similar to the original, this track may be the most obvious to have a double bass sound to it. The guitars are heavy, the drums loud and the vocals are trade mark Buzz style with plenty of noise and feedback to go around.

At this point in the game the Melvins approach an album and do what they want with no regard or interest in what others expect or want them to do. This must be an amazingly liberating feeling. If you are a Melvins fan, you will absolutely dig Pinkus Abortion Technician. 

Don’t do yourself the disservice of pushing it off because it lacks the Sludge of Lysol or the heaviness/metal sound of their Atlantic years. Embrace it and enjoy the ride, the Melvins know where they are going, even if the rest of us don’t. 

Pinkus Abortion Technician is a welcome addition to an already impressive catalog of killer music.

- Todd S

Instagram @alltheghoststhathauntyou

Words by Todd Stealey

Thanks to Lauren at Rarely Unable PR for the promo. Pinkus Abortion Technician will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ipecac Recordings from April 20th 2018.

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

Melvins - Basses Loaded (Album Review)

Release date: June 3^rd 2016. Label: Ipecac Recordings. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Basses Loaded – Tracklisting

1.The Decay of Lying 06:35

2.Choco Plumbing 04:11

3.Beer Hippie 05:15

4.I Want To Tell You 03:13

5.Captain Come Down 02:54

6.Hideous Woman 03:04

7.Shaving Cream 02:31

8.Planet Distructo 06:05

9.War Pussy 02:47

10.Maybe I Am Amused 02:45

11.Phyllis Dillard 04:21

12.Take Me Out To The Ballgame 02:07

Basses Loaded Line-Up:

King Buzzo – guitar & vocals

Dale Crover – drums & vocals (1, 2, 4–6, 8–10), bass (3, 7, 11, 12)

Steven McDonald – bass & vocals (1, 4, 6, 9)

Jared Warren – bass & vocals (2)

Coady Willis – drums & vocals (2)

Mike Dillard – drums & vocals (3, 7, 11, 12)

Jeff Pinkus – bass (5)

Trevor Dunn – bass (8)

Krist Novoselic – bass & accordion (10)

Review:

Greetings all,

First off, I would like to thank Steve for giving me a chance to try this reviewer/critic gig out. Secondly, I would like to thank him again for handing me the new Melvins LP for my first job out of the gate.

There isn't much more that can be said about the Melvins that hasn't already been said over the entirety of their 30+ year career. Their music has evolved, devolved, revolved and has always been interesting. I grew up a grunge kid whose favorite band was Nirvana and I remember going to buy Houdini at the National Record Mart in Steubenville, Ohio based solely on the fact that Kurt Kobain had worked on it. From that moment on, I was hooked. If you are reading this, I have to make an assumption you are familiar with the band, or at the very least want to be.

Basses Loaded is the band's umpty-7th full length (25th actually) and, in the vein of always doing what they want, have recorded an album with a rotating cast of bass players joining Buzzo and Dale. Most having a past affiliation with the band. Dale plays bass on 4 of the 12 tracks. Current touring bassist Steve McDonald (Redd Kross) handles 4 additional tracks. Rounding out the low end duties are Jeff Pinkus (Butthole Surfers, Honky), Jared Warren (Big Business), Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle) and Krist Novoselic (Sweet 75).

The album is tight, considering the use of rotating band members, and that the songs included have seen the light on various EP's and split singles. The album continues in the vein of the last few Melvins releases that while heavy, have a few quirky, poppy moments. The Melvins are musical chameleons of the best kind. This is an album that sticks with you and warrants repeated listens.

Here we go song by song;

01. The Decay of Lying (Steve McDonald) is a surprisingly slow burner that builds and chugs into a solid, solid rock tune.

02. Choco Plumbing (Jared Warren) is reminiscent of a Nude with boots era Melvins/Big Business song, it bring the heavy, new wavish style that I feel came out on the last two Melvins/Big Business albums

03. Beer Hippie (Dale Crover) is another of the bands trademark lumbering, huge riff rockers

04. I Want To Tell You (Steve McDonald) is a Beatles cover from Revolver that potentially shows McDonald's influence and the bands flexibility

05. Captain Come Down (JD Pinkus) is a shorter rock song with another solid riff. Very much in the Butthole Surfers/Honky vein based on the contribution of Mr. Pinkus

06. Hideous Woman (Steve McDonald) a shorter, slightly more up-tempo track with a definite Melvins feel to it.

07. Shaving Cream (Dale Crover) is a profanity laden umpah track that transforms into a profanity land little piece of post punk repetition

08. Planet Distructo (Trevor Dunn) is the one tune that you can actually really hear the bassist style come through. Trevor Dunn's acoustic upright bass is front and center of this schizo tune.

09. War Pussy (Steve McDonald) is another great tune in the vein of Captain Come Down and Hideous woman. These tracks are what the Melvins have evolved into in my eyes. Heavy and to the point, when they want to be.

10. Maybe I Am Amused (Krist Novoselic) would appear, at least in title, as a wink and a nod to the whole Paul McCartney, Sound City, Nirvana reunion thing that never came to be, but the accordion heavy, hand clap driven pop tune is slightly off kilter but spot on.

11. Phyllis Dillard (Dale Crover) is a song that is the epitome of a Melvins song, the driving bass, thundering drums and monster riff along with Buzzo's growl. It ventures almost into being a metal song, without actually ever getting there.

12. Take Me Out To The Ballgame (Dale Crover) is what it is, a straight on cover of the 7th inning stretch tune.

To me, this album is a return to form for the band, if you dig The Melvins, you will dig this record, as it truly warrants repeat listens. And also, it is not a bad introduction to someone who is possibly new to the band, as it shows their versatility and is accessible, without compromising from beginning to end. Highly recommended!

Words by Todd Stealey

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp