Monster Magnet

4-Way Diablo (SPV)
by Scott Hefflon

While I’ve loved Monster Magnet for a decade or so and’ve repeat-looped a couple of the CDs during life-altering road-trips and marathon sex binges, I usually hate the opening song off each CD, and the first couple spins always have me worried that the Mighty MM is toeing the line, filling a contractual obligation, basically lost their edge and are milking the madness for just… one… more… record. But, as “always” (God Says No has yet to win me over), a couple more spins, spin-outs, and spit-shine suck-offs and 4-Way Diablo reminds me that ya can’t over-think rock’n’roll, you have to experience it. It either pokes you in those primal soft-spots, or it’s pleasant background sound to accompany you through your ever-important tasks throughout the day. Real rock’n’roll whispers of darkness lurking in your heart and mind, and catchy beats and grooves might be swell to absently finger-snapping to the braindead, but the lifers hear the soft slapping of flesh like the squares wish they were decadent enough to dream about.

4-Way Diablo is, mostly, passable and enjoyable, and, at its peaks, purely and deliciously mindfuckable. Previous albums have stroked my twitchy psyche in all the right places moreso, but for those who’ve not absorbed previous MM releases to such an extent, sure, this’ll do. It takes this CD until song five, “Cyclone,” to find the dark groove. The previous are mediocre or expected (but “expected” from Monster Magnet is still a good listen, don’t get me wrong), but then they start to warm up and tickle your cosmic g-spot like the best of ’em. From there on out, there are roarers worth memorizing, and trippy drones to mesmerize. And that’s worth the price of admission, any time.
(www.spvusa.com)