The Melvins ‘Tarantula Heart’ Review: experimental metal pioneers go back to double drumming while exploring new sonic pathways.
The Melvins are the metal band that never sleeps. Since forming in the late 80s, the sludge icons have pumped out 27 studio albums, setting a high bar for quantity and quality.
Ever the musical mad scientists, they are constantly tinkering with their formula, working with new collaborators, and employing musical juxtapositions and a myriad of creative methodologies without ever abandoning their core identity.
For their latest album, Tarantula Heart (April 19, Ipecac), they lean into what they do best: weighty rock with roaring riffs and tectonic drumming. In this case, two drummers, with original member Dale Crover pummeling the kit alongside new addition Ray Mayorga (Ministry, Soulfly).
This isn’t the first time the group have employed double drumming, but it is the most unorthodox, with frontman/guitarist King Buzzo/Buzz Osborne commenting: “The way we approached Tarantula Heart was different than any other Melvins’ album. I had Dale and Roy come in and play along with (bassist) Steven (McDonald) and I to some riffs, then I took those sessions and figured out what parts would work and wrote new music to fit. This isn’t a studio approach we’ve ever taken.”
Or in the words of McDonald “It’s the weirdest one yet.”
That last statement is a tall order from a band beloved for their bizarreness, but after listening to Tarantula Heart in its entirety, he might be right.
In addition to the extra heft in the drum dept., Osborne’s signature six-string skills are augmented by guest guitarist Gary Chester (We Are The Asteroid), who adds additional muscle to a band already reknown for brutal riffery.
At only 5 tracks, some fans may feel this is more of an EP than an album, but given the opening track, Pain Equals Funny, is almost 20 minutes long, you get plenty of bang for your buck.
The band’s new armor-plated assault is evident immediately on the aforementioned epic horror show that acts like a series of musical suites, combining classic rock, new wave, ambient music and noise rock. Osborne stated that Miles Davis was a huge inspiration during recording, and while that may seem an unlikely influence, his improvisational experimentation is certainly felt in spirit.
Working The Ditch sounds deliciously evil from the get-go, intoned by Osborne wailing “It was a dark time for us!” The drums are so bombastic they practically crack the speakers, and the song’s cascading metal riff cuts through the proceedings like a battering ram, before disintegrating into a bellowing aural wind tunnel.
The amazingly titled She’s Got Weird Arms features creepy carnival guitar lines ala Mr. Bungle before venturing down a swirling fuzz-guitar wormhole that is both deeply melodic and disorienting.
Allergic To Food is a metal song addled with ADHD. It’s a collision of drums, harmonized guitar solos, distorted vocals, and ever shifting tempos. It’s the musical equivalent of stumbling down a spiral staircase while landing on your feet. It also features the best line on the album: “Are you out of your mind? The little bastard scares me!” Things come to a close on Smiler, a crash course in musical dynamics, contrasting guitar textures and unnerving melody.
Tarantula Heart is yet another reminder of how uncompromisingly dedicated the Melvins are to keeping their weird, wonderful, inimitable sound from ever going stagnant. It scratches the itch fans want, while adding ingredients they never knew they needed, leaving us to wonder what their controlled madness has in store for us next.