With the surprise news that theyโre reuniting after over a decade, fuck it, I have to talk about a Mudvayne.
Mudvayne are often bundled in with the nu-metal bands, but I feel like thatโs mostly because of the era they came up in and demographic they appealed to. Thereโs elements of nu-metal, sure, but there was a surprisingly progressive element to their music,
One of the stand-out features of Mudvayneโs sound is the bass – while a lot of alt metal at the turn of the century either went with the background drone or the Fieldy-style percussive bass, Mudvayne utilised a funky, prominent bass style. This sound became a fundamental part of their style and helped set them apart from the crowd.
Aside from the bass, Mudvayne were just an all-round strong and unique band. The guitar and percussion complimented the bass brilliantly, with strong, chuggy riffs and an immediately identifiable tone.
Chad Grayโs distinctive vocals also add considerably to the Mudvayne sound. His range from growls to roars to absolutely soaring clean vocals is inspiring and, when required, beautiful.
Mudvayneโs visual style is also work a mention here. It has no bearing on their sound, which is absolutely noteworthy on its own merit, but itโs certainly part of their identity. The band have gone through a few different looks, including a period as straight up aliens – hairless, bug-eyes, humanoids in suits. But the most iconic look for me will always be the original one (pictured).
At a time where nu-metal clones and uninspired alt metal bands were a dime a dozen, Mudvayne made sure to catch your attention with bizarre facepaint and outfits. The important part, though, is their music was strong enough to keep that attention.
Welcome back, lads.
a band a day. 