Satirist “Weird” Al Yankovic has, for ages, been known as the king of comedy in the music community. His spoofs of songs from the likes of Coolio, Michael Jackson, and even Nirvana (as well as Miley Cyrus and others) have made him a household name among audiences across the musical universe. After so many years leading the way in the musical comedy ranks, Yankovic may well have some competition, at least in the metal community from the up-and-coming band, The Violent Inzident. The sextet’s new album, This Is Nu Metal!, which was released April 1, makes that clear. The 11-song record is the lighthearted shot in the arm that the metal community has needed for years thanks to its musical and lyrical content alike. Each item will be discussed in its own right here. Just as notable is the record’s production, which will also be discussed later. Each item noted is important in its own right to the whole of the record’s presentation. All things considered, they make This Is Nu Metal! a successful record that while it will ultimately be dated in the long run, is still entertaining from beginning to end.
This Is Nu Metal!, the new album from up-and-coming satirical rock band The Violent Inzident, is a welcome offering that reminds the metal masses that reminds hard rock and metal masses that it is possible to be musically heavy without always being emotionally heavy. The record’s musical arrangements make that clear. From one song to the next, the record’s musical arrangements pay homage to the nu-metal sounds that have been so popular since the late 1990s. Those songs include works from the likes of Disturbed, Powerman 5000, Slipknot, Soulfly, Sepultura, Korn, and even System of a Down. The band even pokes fun at Limp Bizkit, showing that no one is off limits to this band, at least in terms of musical content. The arrangements spoof the noted bands’ songs while still making the arrangements their own along the way, making for even more enjoyment. Simply put, the musical content featured in this record more than makes for its own share of engagement and entertainment. The lyrical content that accompanies the record’s musical arrangements adds even more to that engagement and entertainment.
The lyrical content is so important to the record because it spoofs the bands and their songs just as much. It also pokes fun at society. Case in point is the band’s single, ‘Triggered (The Snowflake Anthem).’ This song is a fully tongue-in-cheek stab at how overly PC society has become in the 21st century. On another note, the band goes right after Limp Bizkit in ‘The Violent Inzident, even mentioning the year 1999, which is really when Limp Bizkit broke out. The band even goes so far as to poke fun at the nonsense lyrics that Limp Bizkit has come up with for its songs here. As if all of this is not enough, The Violent Inzident even takes a direct stab at Slipknot/Stone Sour front man Corey Taylor in ‘D.a.R.E. to Keep Kids on Drugs’ as the question is asked whether people actually give any credit to anything he says. the song in this case pokes fun at all of the songs that glorify drug use and people who abuse them and try to get off of them. It’s really a social commentary in itself, but done in such a satirical fashion. Between that content, the other content examined here and the rest of the record’s lyrical themes, the whole makes clear just how important the album’s lyrical content is to this presentation. That content, together with the album’s musical content, makes this record overall such a surprisingly enjoyable presentation. It is just part of what makes the record worth hearing, too. The album’s production rounds out its most important elements.
The production that went into the creation of This Is Nu Metal! is important because of its role in the album’s general effect. From one song to the next, the album’s production ensures that the heaviness of the nu-metal compositions is fully on display. The down-tuned, crunching guitars, the rough vocals, the thick bass lines and drums are all there. Each gets its own attention in each varying nu-metal composition, too. The end result of the production is that each arrangement proves itself just as worth listening as the others. Even the vocals are clear in each song, getting just as much attention in the production as the instrumentations. Taking into account the impact of the record’s production alongside the impact of the overall content, the whole makes This Is Nu Metal! a surprisingly entertaining presentation that nu-metal fans and metal fans alike will find entertaining.
This Is Nu Metal!, the new album from The Violent Inzident, is a surprisingly engaging and entertaining presentation. That is due equally to its musical and lyrical content. The record’s musical and lyrical content each playfully poke fun at some of the biggest names in the nu-metal movement, from Korn, to Disturbed, to Powerman 500, to Slipknot and others, the content overall takes a satirical approach, making for plenty of laughs. The lyrical content does not just stick to poking fun at said bands, either. It also takes on societal issue, making for even more enjoyment. The record’s production adds its own enjoyment to the mix. That is because of its impact on the album’s general effect. It is just as worthy of praise as the album’s content. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the album’s presentation. All things considered, they make the album well worth hearing at least once.
This Is Nu Metal! is available now. More information on The Violent Inzident’s new album and tour is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theviolentinzident
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ViolentInzident
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