Multiple reviews per album!
by Brandt Parke
It get’s better with every listen
This album confirmed my love for FNM and Mike Patton; after first experiencing them with “The Real Thing” in college, this proved to me how versatile and well-rounded rock, punk, and metal could be. The main reason why I love FMN in general, is because of their ability to sound completely unique. The vocal style of Patton, the experimental songwriting, and the fusion between synthesizer and heavy guitars really sets them apart from other rock units. In the case of “Angel Dust,” I was blown away at how the songwriting was taken to the next level. Following the same sort of guideline that “The Real Thing” possessed, it seems as though everything was taken to the next level for this record. I love the almost comical song titles on top of brilliant musicianship and ability, with tracks like “RV,” “Crack Hitler,” and “Kindergarten.”
What I love most about their sound is the guitar work fused with arena-like synthesizers, something you don’t see or hear very often in hard rock or metal music. The album’s most popular track, Midlife Crisis, has a contagious groove with a vocal flow that is completely undeniable. I can still listen to that song ten times in a row and not get tired of it. I can focus on the instrumentation and love it, or the lyrics and love it, or even the song structure and still love it just as much as the first few times I gave it a listen. That’s how I know this record is as good as it is, and why it has been able to stay relevant over the past 26 years.
The tracks weave in and out seamlessly throughout a much larger concept, which allows me to enjoy every song front to back. Though they follow their own unique sound and innovative musical ideas, I like how you can still hear influences of various genres throughout the record. There are a hint of metal, glam rock, punk, R&B, new wave, grunge, and blues that surround its entirety, which helps provide freshness from track to track. For people who are experiencing FNM for the first time, I think “Angel Dust” is a great way to dive in and don’t stop there! All of their records kick ass and offer something new and intriguing to the ear.
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