A Tarnished Helmet
I've seen some shabby artwork on albums in my time, but Helmet's new release, 'Monochrome,' has to be one of the worst. I'm not actually sure what it is, perhaps a World War 2 pilot ready to eject, who knows! It looks like the band have ripped any old picture from the Internet and stuck the word 'Helmet' in the corner. Having said that, Helmet have never been a band for great album covers, only 'Betty' being an inspired choice due to its 'out of place' context.
'Monochrome' is the third Helmet album on the run to be recorded as a three-piece, with new drummer Mike Jost joining Page Hamilton and Chris Traynor. The album is allegedly a return to the roots of the band, an age-old cliché used to spark the interest of fans. An attempt to return to your roots is one thing, but it only really works if you've written some killer material to go with it. Sadly in Helmet's case, Monochrome is as dull as it is tedious. It's an album that takes ten songs to get going. It's a collection of tracks that, although not terrible, lack any form of spark, attitude or urgency. They instead just labour along almost becoming disinterested in themselves, until flopping to a halt after three or four minutes.
Helmet is Page Hamilton's solo project these days. He handles the vocals, plays most of the guitar-work and writes the lion share of the material. Not that there's anything wrong with this, but after spinning 'Monochrome' several times it's obvious that some outside influence on the proceedings may have helped this recording. If anyone wants an example of an album 'going through the motions' then this would be it. By track three, 'Bury Me', the tempo is slowed to almost plodding pace, and the chorus really scratches the bottom of the 'uninspired' barrel. 'Swallowing Everything' is a solid enough cut, as is 'Brand New' but these 'solid' sections are the exceptions rather than the rule. 'On Your Way Down' contains some of the most lacklustre and out of tune vocals I've heard for some time. 'Gone' tries to inject some life and pace into the running order, but for me it could have benefitted with an extra twenty beats per minute adding to it.
Production wise 'Monochrome' fails to hit home. The guitars are too fuzzy and lack that hardcore crunch to really hit the mark. The drums are too loud, and a richer effect on the vocals would have gone a long way. The minute instrumental 'Howl' is just an appalling guitar screech, but thankfully it's followed by '410', which starts to kick the album into life. It contains a dreadful bridge, but the rest of the song is awash with that hardcore style attitude that you expect from Helmet. The last track 'Goodbye' is perhaps the best song on the album. The guitars have somehow been turned up and the verse riff has a great groove to it. Page's simple vocal melody fits his tone perfectly but it's too little too late for this wet dog of an album.
Any album that takes ten tracks to get going isn't going to last very long in anyone's stereo. To be honest I was glad to get it out of the CD player and back into its sleeve. It's perhaps an album that demonstrates what happens when a member just can't let go. It just tarnishes the name of one of New York's innovative underground acts. I think Page Hamilton has two choices, if the rumour of Jost and Traynor leaving the band is true, either give up the ghost and let Helmet rest in peace, or lock himself in a room with Hatebreed's discography to re-ignite the fire in his belly. Either result would be better than this sorrowful collection of tunes. What a shame.