Band: Helmet

[J. Burns]

I'll say "not crap", but they surely did run that drop-d formula into the ground. Unsane did it better.

Agreed. A lot of people think that Unsane have made the same record for 15 years. Which is wrong, but even if it was true, at least it would be a decent record.

Helmet's post-Betty discography might have taken risks, but it's all borderline-unlistenable bullshit.

[JHarn]

Helmet was hands down my favorite band throughout middle school and early high school. Still blast Betty in the car from time to time. However, I live under the delusion that Helmet never reformed and those last two records are just some other band that stole the name. I've listened to them, they don't do a whole lot for me unfortunately.

So, looking at it that way. A very big Not Crap.

[lemur68]

They got pretty crappy after the second album, excluding a song here and a song there. I head for the hills when they try to bring da funk. Who told them that was a good idea?

Betty is great when you get rid of those ill-advised genre exercise tracks.

[OrthodoxEaster]

I'll say "not crap", but they surely did run that drop-d formula into the ground. Unsane did it better.

Agreed. A lot of people think that Unsane have made the same record for 15 years. Which is wrong, but even if it was true, at least it would be a decent record.

Helmet's post-Betty discography might have taken risks, but it's all borderline-unlistenable bullshit.

I can totally see why you made that comparison but, having witnessed numerous early gigs by both, they were almost like on the exact opposite ends of the same musical spectrum.

I don't think Unsane played in drop-D, at least not for the first few records. Plus Unsane's musicianship was pretty lacking early on. By comparison, Helmet was tidy, riff-based, bass-heavy, professional, tight. Shiny equipment and dressed like a Gap Kids ad. "Military rock," a friend of mine used to call them. They looked really suburban and clean-cut.

Unsane was this sloppy, supertrebly thing w/fuzz bass, cranky single-string leads on a Telecaster, and tom tom-driven drumming. More spastic and vicious than controlled and heavy. Pete Shore worked as a cabbie or something, and there was definitely this (somewhat contrived) kind of NYC-sewer-meets-NRA-militia look going on. They made a point of referencing things like Taxi Driver and the old sex-and-violence Times Square grindhouse scene (even though the members attended a prestigious women's college; not a joke).

Helmet had those riffs, but they were also sort of anal retentive and overly disciplined. What Unsane lacked in technical skills, they made up for w/a ridiculously reckless sound and a much cooler attitude. They were loose and crazy and had more in common w/Pussy Galore than w/any kind of metal band in those days. A lot of broken strings onstage. Helmet was really streamlined by comparison, but also slightly soulless.

It's funny b/c I have the same kind of affection for both and they both lost me around the same time: Helmet's early singles and first two albums; Unsane's early singles, the unreleased test pressing version of the first album (Improvised Munitions), and then the proper first album for Matador. The rest is all sort of blah aggro-rock for me. Unsane cleaned up and got formulaic. Helmet started getting deep into funk, Hawaii, and even glossier Paul Reed Smith alterna-metal.

I remember when Betty came out. I had such trouble separating all the "experimental" and funk stuff from the steak. It seemed really weighted-down and disappointing compared to what came before. Maybe I should re-examine?

[Domagoj]

not CRAP

In the end I care only about Strap It On and early singles/outtakes. Few years ago, after a long pause, I listened to AMREP compilation and was blown away by dissonant beauty. I had completely forgotten greatness of Helmet. Helmetallica period with sterile sounding recording and well defined riffing and drumming ... no, thank you very much. I've never heard Betty thou.

[enframed]

I remember when Betty came out. I had such trouble separating all the "experimental" and funk stuff from the steak. It seemed really weighted-down and disappointing compared to what came before. Maybe I should re-examine?

I listened to it again recently, after a decade of ignoring it, finding it...milquetoast, and I ended up kind of liking it. The main criticism I still have is that it has too many songs.

[OrthodoxEaster]

milquetoast

Which, even then, I thought was a great song, as solid as the finest moments on the earlier albums but more polished. I sort of wished all of Betty had that kind of massiveness and consistency. I do not have such fond memories of "Wilma's Rainbow" (rote music; goofy vocal), "Biscuits for Smut" (funkee honkee), "Sam Hell" (ridiculous blues), others.

[Gramsci]

Helmet releasing new album, touring (dates)

... that.
Track.
Is kind of.
Good...

The whine has gone from the vocals... the riffs are nice. Seems to do what Helmet did well.

Not Strap It On or Betty, I'm surprised...

Still no Stanier.

[Gramsci]

I remember when Betty came out. I had such trouble separating all the "experimental" and funk stuff from the steak. It seemed really weighted-down and disappointing compared to what came before. Maybe I should re-examine?

I listened to it again recently, after a decade of ignoring it, finding it...milquetoast, and I ended up kind of liking it. The main criticism I still have is that it has too many songs.

I Know, Tic and Over Rated are all solid gold.

Stanier's work on I Know is some of the best drumming I've ever heard.

[J. Burns]

New record is embarrassingly terrible. What a shock, huh?

[Luzwei]

New record is embarrassingly terrible. What a shock, huh?

OH, I stopped caring after Aftertaste. Is it that bad?

[SecondEdition]

Prindle gave it a 7, so who knows.

I honestly don't care enough to do the research.

I will say that Page Hamilton seems like a really good guy, from the little I know about him, and that he can do whatever he wants.

[J. Burns]

New record is embarrassingly terrible. What a shock, huh?

OH, I stopped caring after Aftertaste. Is it that bad?

It's as bad or worse than the last two.

I should know better than to expect a comeback, but there is just absolutely zero quality control coming from Hamilton's camp.

"So for this song, I'm going to sing like an emo version of Dave Mustaine over second-rate Smashing Pumpkins riffs that are mixed 20x louder than everything else."

"Great idea, Page!"

"Hey, I've got an awesome idea! Let's cover The Beatles! You know, Helmet covering The Beatles."

"Great idea, Page!"

[Luzwei]

New record is embarrassingly terrible. What a shock, huh?

OH, I stopped caring after Aftertaste. Is it that bad?

It's as bad or worse than the last two.

I should know better than to expect a comeback, but there is just absolutely zero quality control coming from Hamilton's camp.

"So for this song, I'm going to sing like an emo version of Dave Mustaine over second-rate Smashing Pumpkins riffs that are mixed 20x louder than everything else."

"Great idea, Page!"

"Hey, I've got an awesome idea! Let's cover The Beatles! You know, Helmet covering The Beatles."

"Great idea, Page!"

Oh, THAT BAD?

[Awesome_Komodo]

Boring horseshit band.

CRAP

[Gramsci]

New record is embarrassingly terrible. What a shock, huh?

OH, I stopped caring after Aftertaste. Is it that bad?

No it isn't, I was the biggest fan of this band up until Aftertaste, I've even had a few good nights drinking with Page, who is actually a really nice guy in person. However, the quality control has totally fucking gone. The lyrics have totally lost the surreal, snippets of conversations, "cut-up" quality they had up until Betty, the vocals have been terribly delivered, the dissonance and epicness of the riffs has gone (chorus on Tic... Sinatra... Bad Mood... Overrated), John Stanier was completely fundamental to the ensemble playing of the band... even Aftertaste had some good moments but that was 1997...

The key problem is Page seems to think that Helmet wasn't massively commercially successful because the songs were too weird, but the reality is that Helmet were always going to be a very niche band. He should have stuck to mixing Sonic Youth, Black Sabbath, Beat/cut-up era lyrics and New York. There was plenty of milage still left in those ingredients.

I listened to Strap it On and Betty for the first time in months on the weekend. They both still blow me away.

[Bill Swansea]

Page Hamilton's career peaked here.

I don't really like Helmet that much, they're okay I suppose. Dig the whole minimal thing.

[Evanc521]

The last album with Stainer and everything since is rubbish. Meantime is pretty fucking good.

[Gramsci]

Page Hamilton's career peaked here.

I don't really like Helmet that much, they're okay I suppose. Dig the whole minimal thing.

It peak at this exact moment:

Sinatra live 1992.

Sonically and vocally just after Betty they were my "ideal" band... I never much like Meantime the same as Strap it On and Betty.

There is a Reading 1994 recording that is amazing. (happy to send it to you...)

Check this out:



(Ignore the headline acts...)

[Bill Swansea]

There is a Reading 1994 recording that is amazing. (happy to send it to you...)

Check this out:



(Ignore the headline acts...)

Ooo Jo Brand!

I kid, I used to have this poster on my wall from when the NME published posters of classic Reading line ups, I used to look at it for ages thinking how much better it would be than any other Reading I remember seeing the line up too.

I'll check out all the Reading record, sure. This link sounds pretty good actually.