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Skeletons

 
Album Review: Skeletons

  • Artist: Nothingface
  • Rating: StarStarStarHalf Star
  • Release Date: April 22, 2003
  • Type: Contains explicit content, Lyrics are included with the album
  • Genre: Rock

Review

Saying that the members of Nothingface went through considerable turmoil in 2001 and 2002 would be an understatement. Guitarist Tom Maxwell's mother died, lead singer Matt Holt's house burned down and bassist Bill Gaal went through a divorce--all that was in addition to the departure of drummer Chris Houck (who was replaced by Tommy Sickles), a change in management and Holt's substance abuse problems. There were times when it seemed like Nothingface would break up, but thankfully, the band hung in there and completed Skeletons. All that turmoil obviously hasn't hurt the metalheads' creativity; produced by Bill Kennedy, this 2003 release is a superb follow-up to 2000's Violence. If anything, having to cope with so many challenges ultimately had a positive impact on Nothingface because it gave the alternative metal foursome a lot to draw on emotionally. And make no mistake: Skeletons is a very emotional album, not to mention passionate, focused and inspired. Like Violence, Skeletons is an album of contrasts--Nothingface continues to thrive on rich, intricate melodies as well as sledgehammer brutality. Holt can still scream and growl as mercilessly as a death metal or grindcore vocalist, and he can still be as accessible as Live's Ed Kowalczyk or Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder. Nothingface is hardly the only alterna-metal combo that, in the ‘90s and 2000s, has favored these heaven/hell and melody/noise contrasts, but they do it better than 95% of the competition. Those who admired Violence can take comfort in knowing that despite the challenges Nothingface's members faced in 2001 and 2002, they have no problem excelling on the equally impressive Skeletons. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Machination Matthew Holt, Tom Maxwell, Bill Gaal Nothingface (4:00)
Beneath Matthew Holt, Tom Maxwell Nothingface (3:33)
Murder Is Masturbation Tom Maxwell, Matthew Holt Nothingface (3:55)
Ether Matthew Holt, Bill Gaal Nothingface (3:43)
I Wish I Was a Communist Matthew Holt, Tom Maxwell, Bill Gaal Nothingface (4:03)
In Avernus Matthew Holt, Tom Maxwell Nothingface (3:28)
Patricide Bill Gaal, Matthew Holt Nothingface (3:56)
Here Come the Butchers Bill Gaal, Matthew Holt, Tom Maxwell Nothingface (2:59)
I Am Him Matthew Holt, Tom Maxwell Nothingface (4:05)
Scission Tom Maxwell, Matthew Holt, Bill Gaal Nothingface (3:06)
Big Fun at the Gallows Bill Gaal, Matthew Holt Nothingface (3:56)
Incarnadine Tom Maxwell, Matthew Holt Nothingface (3:45)
All Cut Up Matthew Holt, Tom Maxwell Nothingface (3:38)

Credits

Darren Grahn (Pro-Tools), Misha Rajaratnam (Pro-Tools), Bill Gaal (Engineer), Bill Kennedy (Engineer), Scott MacPherson (Studio Assistant), Tom Maxwell (Guitar), Paul Iverson (Guitar Technician), P.R. Brown (Art Direction), Zach Blackstone (Mixing Assistant), Matthew Holt (Vocals), Misha Rajaratnam (Engineer), Zach Blackstone (Digital Editing), Bill Kennedy (Mixing), Darren Grahn (Engineer), Bill Gaal (Producer), Misha Rajaratnam (Assistant Engineer), Sean Roberts (A&R), Bill Gaal (Keyboards), Rob Stefanson (Studio Assistant), Bill Gaal (Bass), P.R. Brown (Photography), P.R. Brown (Illustrations), Bill Kennedy (Producer)
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Artist: Skeletons
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Group Members:

Severiano Martinez, Carson Garhart, Johnny Misheff, Jason McMahon, Matt Mehlan

Similar Artists:

Influenced By:

  • Genres: Rock
  • Representative Albums: "Lucas", "Money

Biography

Skeletons, initially the work of Matt Mehlan -- a rather idiosyncratic pop songwriter who uses loads of electronics -- had a very low-key beginning in Oberlin, OH, with a pair of albums (I'm at the Top of the World and Life and the After Birth) released on the Shinkoyo label, which Mehlan co-founded. At some point, Mehlan was joined by Carson Garhart, Severiano Martinez, Jason McMahon, and Johnny Misheff. Git, credited to Skeletons & the Girl-Faced Boys, was released in June 2005 via an alliance between Shinkoyo and Ghostly International. Lucas, which was inspired by the Garden of Eden and the rural Midwest, arrived in spring 2007. Fall 2008's free jazz-influenced Money was released by Tomlab. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
Wikipedia: Skeletons (album)
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Skeletons
Studio album by Nothingface
Released April 22, 2003
Genre Alternative metal
Length 48:07
Label TVT Records
Professional reviews
Nothingface chronology
Violence
(2000)
'''Skeletons'''
(2003)

Skeletons is the fourth album by the Washington, D.C.-based alternative metal music group Nothingface and was their last before breaking up. The album was released on April 22, 2003, via TVT Records, their last release on the label. Its title, according to Matt Holt, refers to "skeletons I've left behind in my life." In an interview with Tom Maxwell he stated," I don't think "Skeletons" has a musical direction. I've said it before but it sounds to me like a band imploding and losing focus. The next record will redeem the sound I believe was lost during the Violence/Skeletons cycle. Too many cooks in the kitchen can sometimes create a mediocre meal. Especially when the cooks come from different schools."

Track listing

  1. "Machination" – 4:00
  2. "Beneath" – 3:33
  3. "Murder Is Masturbation" – 3:55
  4. "Ether" – 3:43
  5. "I Wish I Was a Communist" – 4:03
  6. "In Avernus" – 3:28
  7. "Patricide" – 3:56
  8. "Here Come the Butchers" – 2:59
  9. "I Am Him" – 4:05
  10. "Scission" – 3:06
  11. "Big Fun at the Gallows" – 3:56
  12. "Incarnadine" – 3:45
  13. "All Cut Up" – 3:38

Bonus Tracks (Japan and U.K. Special Edition only)

  1. "Down In Flames" – 2:27
  2. "Bleeder" – 3:39



 
 

 

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Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Artist. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Skeletons (album)" Read more