Melvins – ‘Tarantula Heart’ album review: classic alt-rockers still going strong
THE SKINNY: Irrevocably linked to that era of alternative rock where everything changed, Melvins have always been true pioneers. Influencing everyone from Nirvana to Slipknot, it’s easy to get lost in their sludgy soundscapes. Sometimes, it’s as though you’re wading through the mud yourself, with security and stability in your grasp. Other times, you’re trampled by the heaviness, struck down by thick, grungey riffs with enough manpower to make you feel as though you’ve been slammed by a tank.
The band have released many acclaimed albums over the years, from Houdini to Stoner Witch, but Tarantula Heart sees them approach writing and recording differently. The sessions were largely improvisational, with the band entering the studio without fully fleshed-out songs.
By doing so, the band allowed themselves to create without a single restraint. Melvins would jam together before leader Buzz Osbourne took the recordings and lifted his favourite parts, subsequently writing new sections to accompany them. The opening track, ‘Pain Equals Funny’, is a finely crafted epic, coming in at 19 minutes. While such a lengthy piece could easily become repetitive and dull, Melvins keep things interesting, using cutting riffs, heavy bass and pummeling drums, experimenting with tempo before building to a final release, which is gloriously dark.
The other four songs are considerably shorter, with the penultimate track, ‘Allergic to Food’, acting as a clear standout. It’s a chaotic descent into madness, with warping riffs and confrontational vocals, which are slightly distorted. While some moments are considerably less interesting than others, overall, Tarantula Heart is a compact album that is sure to please all sludge metal aficionados. There’s never a moment that feels explicitly boring; rather, certain songs cut much deeper than others.
After multiple decades, Melvins haven’t got any less impressive. Taking a new approach to songwriting for their 27th album, the band have tried to keep things fresh, and fans will certainly not be disappointed by this staggering collection of murky, speaker-breaking cuts.
For fans of: Saying, “I remember seeing these back in the ‘90s. Music was so much better back then!”
A concluding comment from my boyfriend: This album really is like a tarantula: hairy in places, guaranteed to scare kids, and somehow carries the essence of dust.
Tarantula Heart track-by-track:
‘Pain Equals Funny’: An odyssey through darkness and destruction. Those last few minutes, which are ridiculously heavy and tinged with experimentation as the song comes to a close, are simply perfect. [4/5]
‘Working the Ditch’: There is a lack of instantaneous connection with the track, but after some repeat listens, it’s difficult not to be whisked away into the mysterious underground. Osborne sings about a “godless world” and a “dark time for us;” it’s menacing and a little spooky, to be honest. [3.5/5]
‘She’s Got Weird Arms’: This is probably the weakest song on the album, meandering along with a rather boring vocal performance and repetitive riffs which feel particularly familiar. It’s still, by all means, a pretty decent track, though. [3/5]
‘Allergic to Food’: Fast-paced and full of disarray, this song is a wonderfully crafted mess which will raise your adrenaline levels and make even the most quiet gig-goer want to run screaming into a mosh pit. [4/5]
‘Smiler’: Punchy and intense, ‘Smiler’ is a solid track, although there’s nothing overwhelmingly memorable about it until the final third when electrifying riffs seem to take over, and things get even heavier. [3.5/5]
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