Under-rated albums/artists: Part 5

In this instalment, we have "Medication" - a band that hardly seemed to even make a ripple on the rock scene (in the UK at least), which is not only a shame - as the material here is of such a high standard, but it also a bit baffling when you consider that the band counted within its members, both Whitfield Crane and Logan Mader.

If your only experience of Whit Crane is as a member of Ugly Kid Joe, then you really need to get with the program (as the kids say?), as he has remained a constant in the world of music, albeit in a less noticeable and less mainstream way. After UKJ he went on to sing (briefly) with Life Of Agony, Medication, and Another Animal. As a side note, Ugly Kid Joe have recently reformed, which could be interesting as they were a better band than many give them credit for.

Anyway, back to the subject – Medication. The band was formed by Logan and Whit after Whit left Life Of Agony (an odd pairing that was never going to last), and stylistically I would say that they inhabit a place somewhere between goth metal and early 90’s grunge. This may not sound like a winning combination on paper, but the music on offer here is of a high enough quality and contains enough hooks to keep you coming back for more. Whit has a strong voice that seems to be perfectly suited to the music, the guitars have the melodic edge of early 90’s (and modern) Paradise Lost, and the production is the icing on the cake (to coin a very much over-used phrase) which ensures that the songs sound both crunchy and at the same time, strangely fuzzy (in a deliberate grunge way).

You will, of course, find songs here that are reminiscent of other bands such as Stone Temple Pilots (Walk Away), Paradise Lost (No Direction), and elsewhere the influence of Type O Negative, David Bowie, Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, etc, but I hasten to add that the band has added a flourish of its own and the end result is very satisfying. If you are looking for a latter era grunge record with a difference, you could do a lot worse than to check out the “Medication” EP or the full-length “Prince Valium”.

Sadly, due to internal issues (read as “musical/personal differences” if you will), the band was short lived. They did, however, leave behind a nice collection of songs for us to enjoy.

Here are 2 examples:

No Direction:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1VDMhYklUo

Something New: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikTydunchXQ

36 Crazyfists - Collisions And Castaways.

Some people (let’s call them idiots) will tell you that 36CF are a “nu-metal” band, but that is far too much of a one dimensional term to encompass an album as visionary as this. The songs on offer here contain an extra edge of brutality not normally associated with the dreaded “N” word (no, not that one). Not to mention the man negative connotations connected to the term....in fact, I refuse to dwell on the subject, and as this is my blog, that’s the final word on it.

In truth though, I always found 36CF to be lacking a certain something, and have always considered them to be a forgettable and even rather lacklustre band, just jostling for attention in the hugely over-populated sea of metal. Well, I can safely say that this is no longer the case. They have remedied this with apparent ease and with a style that lesser bands can only lose sleep over.

In short, this is a truly remarkable juggernaut of an album that smashes its way into your ears and then sets up camp in your brain - these songs just flat-out refuse to get out of my head. But, you don’t want short do you? What you (probably) want is a proper review, so here goes...

As far as influences go, I could list points of reference all day, but it would be of a genuine disservice to this album and to the band itself. Saying that however, there are many obvious (to my ears, at least) influences on display here....from such wildly varying sources as Deftones, Spineshank, Nevermore and even Skid Row(ok, that is a wild-card idea, but just listen to his voice on songs such as “Reviver” for example). This is, however, very much a modern metal record, and should be viewed as such, which means that the songs will obviously be influenced by that which has come before it. Therefore listing band names here would be pointless, not to mention, time consuming. You can just play a fun game of picking them out for yourselves if you so desire.

The top notch songs are reinforced, but by no means dominated by, huge (but often refreshingly simple riffs) and Brock’s voice is on sublime form, ranging from a Mike Williams (The Agony Scene) like roar to a Sebastian Bach rasp, some clean vocals reminiscent of Warrel Dane, and with moments of Chino-esque beauty throughout. Add to that, some wonderful chorus vocals that are as catchy as herpes, but thankfully, are a lot more enjoyable, and you get an album that is a pleasure to listen to. This man is a truly under-rated force in modern metal.

Definitely not a one trick (white) pony, this album is exciting and changeable enough to keep the attention of the listener through to the final chord. The momentum is maintained with relative ease, and the songs flow wonderfully - all credit to whoever devised the running order. This album is just long enough to ensure that you are left wanting more, and is never in any danger of overstaying its welcome. Instead of becoming bored and turning this album off, you will find yourself being unable to resist the urge to press play and listen to it again (and again). It starts strong and just simply tears through the 45 minutes on offer in a stunning display of exceptional song-writing and musicianship. The moments of calm that are dotted throughout, just help to heighten anticipation for the heaviness to return...and again, it doesn’t disappoint in this respect.

In summary, this is an accomplished record and there is a depth and style never even hinted at on previous releases. This irresistible and remarkable collection of songs has not only shot straight into my top of 2010 list, but it is certain to remain a favourite for many years to come.