I decided to make a thread where we could post reviews & opinions of the new album, so we can read them without having to wade through pages and pages of gossip and rumors of a secret love affair between Buzz and Jared.
So, if you find a review somewhere, or have heard the album yourself somehow (though that's not possible, since it's not out yet...), put it here!
I 'found' this from some genius on last.fm
(the) Melvins
"(a) Senile Animal"
2006
Well, it's that time of the month again: a new Melvins album has been released. What do we get this time around? Exactly what a big portion of Melvins fans have been waiting for: a real, new MELVINS album. No Lustmord, no Jello Biafra, no re-creations of old albums. Just a new album by Buzz, Dale, and Bassist Guy. Although, if you're looking for a 100% pure, unadulterated, barely-legal Melvins experience, you'll have to wait just a little bit longer. They replaced old bassist Kevin Rutmanis with new bassist Jared Warren (from Karp & Big Business). Thing is, he sings on a lot of the songs, too. This may upset you, until you hear him and realize he basically sounds like a younger, scarier Buzz: imagine the vocals from "Eggnog" mixed with the vocals from "The Bloated Pope" and you get a pretty good idea of how this sounds.
In addition to the double vocalists, you have two drummers as well. Jared brought his best friend Coady from Big Business, and he adds to the percussive mayhem on the album. This time when you think Dale must have four arms to pull off some of his drumming: you'll be right. The extra member adds an new level of interest to the music because there is just so much going on with the drums alone. Plus, the Melvins can now be referred to as a Fearsome Foursome, which is nice.
This is the most straightforward Melvins album since....ever. The closest thing to this is Stoner Witch, and even that album had stuff like "Magic Pig Detective","Goose Freight Train", and "Lividity" to scare off the Pantera fans. (a) Senile Animal is nothing but big, heavy slabs of metal. This is understandable, coming after the ambient-noise-drone-fest of "Pigs of the Roman Empire". They followed up the relatively quiet "Honky" with the heaviest album in the world "The Maggot", so it should be no surprise that this album sounds like it does. Each song is built around heavy riffing, intense drumming (two drummers, remember?) and screaming by Buzz and Jared. "Blood Witch" has the stilted, jittery riffing of "The Bloated Pope". "A History of Bad Men" sounds like a distant cousin of "Night Goat", with its super catchy chorus and a bass line as thick and groovy as Mamma Cass. "Civilized Worm" sounds dangerously close to a power ballad, but it's saved by the minute long outro of Dale and Coady abusing their poor drums. The only semi-quiet moment comes on the album closer "A Vast Filthy Prison", but the chanting-monk-style vocals make it creepy enough to not seem out of place. The rest of the album sounds like they realized how cool "Honey Bucket" was and tried to do that seven more times. I'm exaggerating, but the album really is composed mostly of two and a half minute, fast, heavy songs. This may upset or delight you, depending on how you felt about the Melvins' recent musical direction. But it makes you realize: there is no direction. This album could be followed up by a four hour bass solo. Or a covers tribute to the Allman Brothers Band. It's your job as a Melvins fan to just shut up and enjoy it. Or shut up and hate it. Either way...
