MOWER

Before the "true" metal warriors among you pass judgment, you really ought to give "Not For You", the second album from San Diego's MOWER, a try. Aspersions will be cast because of Mikey Doling's (SNOT, SOULFLY) involvement as producer. All one needs to be concerned about in Doling's case is the bang-up job he did with the sound on this one — a coarse riff tone, natural drums, thick bass, and arrangements that breathe. Oh, the band's sound? It is a modern and aggressive one that is not easily categorized. Two lead singers (the gritty bark of Brian Sheerin and the higher pitched rasp of Dominic Moscatello) play off each other expertly over often-short tunes that could be characterized as metallically tough, groove-oriented, sometimes punky, and almost always catchy.

Careful about lazily tossing about the "nu" word in describing MOWER because aside from a slight vibe on the melodic "Broken Hands" (a tune that hurts the album's momentum a bit),"modern" is more accurate. The edges are sharp and the delivery is quite raging. At a bit under two minutes, "Road Rage" is as good a song as you'll hear about traffic chaos and bad drivers; pissed off and stomping, it is one of several highlights. Songs like "American Psycho" (yes, as in the Bret Easton Ellis novel) succeed in building a wall of aggression and then letting up for brief melodic breaks. Others like the mid-tempo chug of "10 x 10" and "General Admission" or the up-tempo and punk-tinged "Look Away" (excellent staccato vocal delivery from Moscatello on this one),"Seedless", and "Undone" serve to offer variety without losing cohesion. The riff and rhythm patterns of "The End" fall somewhere between BLACK SABBATH's "Children of the Grave" and DANZIG's "Am I Demon", yet the result is somehow mirthful and fresh. The band is adept at mixing styles and keeping things moving, as the funky bass and grinding riff of the title track, the infectious "Zone", or the CLUTCH-like lazy grooves of "U Turn" and "L.A. Riot" demonstrate. I'm glad the cover of "California Dreamin'" got placed at the end though, so I didn't have to keep skipping over it; not one of the band's better choices, as the version just sounds silly.

On "Not For You" it may seem to some that MOWER walks the line between metal credibility and Hot Topic appeal. All I hear is a band with some good ideas, catchy tunes, and enough aggression to satisfy the pit-mongers. Modern? Nu? Shit, who cares? It's not rocket science; it's a fun album that rocks hard.