Melvins – Thunderball
With Thunderball, the Melvins 1983 lineup—featuring the ever-iconic Buzz Osborne, original drummer Mike Dillard, and the heavy additions of Void Manes and Ni Maîtres—return to make a statement that’s as chaotic, and unpredictable as ever. The record refuses to fit into one lane; instead, it creates in a twisted puzzleof sounds, obtaining from punk, metal, stoner rock, noise, psychedelia, and experimental electronics—often all on the same track. Right from the start, tracks like “King of Rome” get you by the collar with heavy, yelling guitar riffs and vocals that feel the punk attitude. The use of vocoder vocals gives the track a strange, futuristic edge, while the spinning almost psychedelic guitar lines push it into unexpected geography. It’s raw and mechanical and trippy all at once—a signature Melvins mix. In contrast, “Vomit of Clarity” dives into a cinematic sci-fi dreamstate, with reverbed electronics, heavy forms, and a mood that appears far more alien transmission than rock song. There is a peaceful tension to it, proving the band can deliver as much atmosphere as aggression. The riff-driven “Victory of the Pyramids” has one of the album’s most catchy and melodic refrains, a rare moment. “Short Hair With A Wig” brings the noise full-force, with a groovy bass line underneath the rough materials. The guitar bursts into something that shares borders with on classic rock, even calling to mind the attitude of early Alice Cooper, but with way more dirt and distortion. Then there’s “Venus Blood,” a slow, doom track that starts with obscure, crawling bass and guitar sounds that go into stoner rock zone. When the vocals at some point appear, they express a grunge-era sadness to the riffs, which become heavier, sludgier, and more psychologically loaded. It’s a steady descent into something beautiful and bleak. Thunderball is not an easy listen—and it doesn’t attempt to be. It’s harsh, unexpected, and occasionally bizarre, but that’s what makes it so fantastic.
