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40 Grit - Heads
40 Grit - Heads
Metal Blade - 2001
By Patrick Russell
Apparently, Metal Blade records is trying to cash in on the whole nu-metal trend by signing 40 Grit.
If you’ve been keeping up on nu-metal for the past few years, there will be no surprises on 40 Grit’s Heads. This California quartet has the squeaky guitar dissonance, big bass, and whisper/whine-to-scream vocals -- all over a mid-tempo drumbeat -- that has become associated with that style. They sound tight, and the production and mix are well done. Everything is in its place with lots of room to breathe.
To me this sounds like rehashed and uninspired versions of Korn and newer Machine Head; there a few catchy vocal melodies (if you can call them that) but there are no riffs that really stick in your head. The more Machine-Head-style moments (“Spit” and a lot of the second side) come with crushing guitars and double bass drums, and are the more enjoyable parts of the record.
In general, I find Heads lacking because you don’t get the feeling that these guys are really pissed off, which seems to be what they are trying to convey. In fact, you don’t get the impression that these guys are really feeling anything -- they aren’t really pushing themselves as musicians or songwriters. Heads sounds to me as if 40 Grit listened to their local hard rock station and started a band. But, for fans of this style, there is everything you need and would expect on this record, from the angst to the squeaks.
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