A Senile Animal (CD - 2006)

The early 2000s found the Melvins engaging in all manner of loud/heavy experiments, some considerably more enjoyable than others. On 2006's (A) SENILE ANIMAL, however, the long-running avant-metal ensemble return to its classic roots. Band mainstays Dale Crover (drums) and Buzz Osborne (vocals/guitar) are joined here by Pacific Northwest bass/drums power duo Big Business, and the results are devastating.

Crover is a brutal enough drummer on his own, but the addition of Coady Willis on a second kit both increases the power of the assault and keeps things curiously off-kilter; Jared Warren's bass is all rumbling fuzz and punch and provides an impressive platform for Crover's art-metal riffage; and the multilayered vocals make the whole thing that much more colossal. The Melvins have always been something of a grab bag, and while it's a safe bet to expect something interesting, it's a pleasure to be awarded something this unrelentingly awesome. minimize