Stereomud
Perfect Self (Columbia)
by Vinnie Apicella
Stereomud offer “blank” track between songs so you’re wondering how you jumped from 16 to 23 so quickly, and there’re only 13 songs on the album! After the opening lull, “Leave (Back Up)” rattles your foundations with an absolutely ferocious riff, bleeding into the standard whisper-to-scream vocal approach that’ll easily reach rock radio programmers. With the advent of nü metal some years ago, there’s been little innovation in the glut, most satisfied to run rampant in a world of its own rage rather than channel that aggression into song structure and development. So while a band like Machine Head’s idea of “progression” might be toning down their once-mighty riff to become the next Korn, Stereomud takes a broader approach from the beginning, firmly entrenched in the battle-tested heaviness while submerging themselves in enough rhythmic catchiness and melody with no immediate suffering of the holy groove.