Artist: Numbnuts
Title: Smokey The Salmon And The Horny Mermaids Of Detention
Genre: Groovecore
Release Date: 1st August 2011
Label: Mighty Music
Album Review
NUMBNUTS apparently have fans hooked. With a title like ‘Smokey The Salmon And The Horny Mermaids Of Detention’ how could one pass up this (possibly) hilarious concept? Of course, upon the first few tracks it is very clear that NUMBNUTS are very serious about their work, and can also have fun at it too. The band treads the route of a mix of groove metal and hardcore, similar to that of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH’s earlier works with groove metal based riffs, bellowing hardcore vocals and injecting every once in a while faded clean vocals that sounds like they belong in some doom metal band. However, their monotone suits the layering on the harsher vocals perfectly such as on ‘Giddyup’. Usually they’re difficult to hear but on ‘The Shorty Song’ they have a stronger presence. Other tracks like ‘Sexsexsex’ have a bit more pace due to the vocal assault by Esben (known for his former work in AS WE FIGHT and currently a part of death metal group HATESPHERE) that goes well with the metalcore/ thrash style of guitars. Here, he tends to fall back to a style that is more like his work from AS WE FIGHT, but the music here is certainly aggressive enough to be on par with death metal.
‘Modern Metal Cliché’ is a bit amusing as the band does aim for making it sound as generic as a lot of what some would consider modern metalcore/ hardcore out there with a repetition of riffs over and over, but even if it is considered the “blandest track” on the album, NUMBNUTS still add enough groove to make it more enjoyable than a lot of their generic competitors in music out there. For those seeking an anthem track that is just solely riff based and catchy as hell, check out ‘Pay For This’ which is NUMBNUTS at their hardcore best. Both the Erlendsson brothers show of the best of their abilities with keeping a rhythm along with the rest of the band. Oddly enough the title track, and the last track, only seems to live up to the concept of the album with everything else seeming random at first, but track by track everything seems to flow pretty smoothly as far as telling a story. And if one has trouble following the story, then they can certainly ride along the groove metal bits that are consistent from track to track. Basically, this album opens and closes with a bang.
Overall, this album may not be exactly AS WE FIGHT, but it is very similar and Esben and co. do a great job at creating engaging groove metal that is basic, but very aggressive with the hardcore elements and adding on a terrific title to grab listeners. The band even covers DIRE STRAIGHTS’ ‘Sultans Of Swing’ which feature the Rock’n’Roll groove of the original but with NUMBNUTS’S personal hardcore touch. While this may not complete the storytelling masterpiece that everyone would be hoping for, NUMBNUTS still tells a story with a bit of tongue in cheek humour that can earn a few laughs while still head banging. It’s not too serious that it’s a joke, but it’s also not so much of a joke that one will probably never listen to it again. ‘Smokey…’ is probably the first in a long line of interesting concepts that NUMBNUTS will develop that will keep hardcore listeners interested.
Tracklist
01. Giddyup - 4:04
02. Satans Of Swing - 4:45
03. Endless Guilt Trip - 4:59
04. Sexsexsex - 4:11
05. Deaf To Brutality - 5:10
06. Modern Metal Cliché - 4:37
07. Pay For This - 6:10
08. The Shorty Song - 2:18
09. Smokey The Salmon And The Horny Mermaids Of Detention - 6:47
Line-up
Esben Elnegaard Kjær Hansen - Vocals
Janus Erlendsson - Guitar
Troels Bjørck Eriksen - Guitar
Daniel Lohmann - Bass
Simon Erlendsson - Drums
Website
www.numbnuts.dk
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 7
Sound: 7
Total: 7 / 10
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