1994 In Review: Helmet

1994 In Review: Helmet - "Betty"

Helmet's story is really rather unfortunate; criminally undervalued during their initial run, praised time and time again as major influences after they went away and largely ignored upon their return, they never really achieved their due in regards of critical acclaim or mainstream acceptance.

Betty is as close as they got, thanks mostly to the attention grabbing effort that was 1992's Meantime. That album's MTV-supported highlight, the driving and riff-happy Unsung, put them on the radar for many (including this guy); many of those who checked out Meantime were beaten down by its relentlessness and charmed by its at the time unfathomable marriage of metallic riffage and off-kilter jazz rhythms. More than anything, though, it was about the brutal, primal nature of the music. It didn't veer off tangent or operate on multiple levels; it was all tactical aggression, a blunt force rock album that left an impression whether you were looking for it or not.

The negative side effect of Meantime is that it its precious little variation in moods and tone seemingly painted Page Hamilton & co. into a musical corner, and when Milquetoast preceded Betty's release as part of the soundtrack for The Crow, it didn't appear as though much was about to change. But then, a funny thing happened; the video for a chugging, funky new Helmet track called Biscuits for Smut hit, and Helmet were a whole new band.

As it turns out, for as much as Betty solidified Helmet's sound, it also stretched it out incredibly. In addition to the staccato riffs and heavy grooves, there was plenty of extracurricular noise seeping through; there was also a much higher variation in Hamilton's vocals, less shouting and more singing. There was also some downright oddities, from the half sincere, half piss-taking instrumental cover of '30s waltz Beautiful Love to the strutting freak funk of quasi title track The Silver Hawaiian and the amplified swamp boogie of closer Sam Hell.

The majority plays to Helmet's strengths, of course, and Betty's best moments are the ones that best make use of those thick tones and thundering rhythms. Wilma's Rainbow starts the album off with a bang, while the slow groove of Tic and Street Crab coax the head bob with ease. And, of course, the ferocious groove of Milquetoast can't be overstated; it's the closest thing Helmet's had to a hit not just because of its placement on one of the greatest soundtracks of all time, but because it's probably the best damn song they ever recorded.

Time hasn't been exactly kind to Helmet, and Page hasn't exactly done his band any favours in recent years, but Betty stands everlasting as a high water mark of '90s rock, the work of a band who was worthy of far more credit and attention than they ever got.

June 21, 1994 • Interscope

Highlights Wilma's Rainbow • Milquetoast • Street Crab

Year in Rock 2025

Alright, I've got some explaining to do. By now anyone who's visited this blog is well aware of how infrequently I've used this space in recent years; aside from the occasional fertile year of content, I really haven't posted all that often over the last five years or so. There are many reasons for this, which have already been outlined in previous apology posts; but, essentially, it boils down to my own laziness and the cold reality that blogs are, like Refused (again), fucking dead. So, I wouldn't hold my breath for a triumphant return to reviews, or even semi-regular posts, but: a) I feel like Year in Rock posts have always belonged here and, even though I've experimented with different methods of presentation recently and been satisfied, the "blink and you missed it" unveiling via Facebook stories this year was perhaps ultimately a disservice to the records I lauded. After all, cramming the list into short videos isn't too far off from ju...

Year in Rock 2013 Nominee: Arctic Monkeys

ARCTIC MONKEYS Do I Wanna Know? From: AM Released: September 10 That Year in Rock 2012's Single of the Year R U Mine? ended up on this album is pleasing, and it fits the motif well enough. But R U Mine? isn't what makes Arctic Monkeys' fifth album an Album of the Year contender. Sweaty, sultry and pulsing with sexual energy, AM is the kind of record that's just as effective whether you're chilling out after a long day, staring into a mirror prepping yourself for a late night clubbing session or setting the mood for some escapades in the boudoir.

Year in Rock 2023: Album of the Year #10-1

Now we're getting somewhere; the top ten, where there are no duds or mids, only bangers. Also, no more teasing it out; let's wrap this up! What I've learned this year from my ten faves this year is that it is indeed still possible for a dude approaching his fifties to more or less stay up to date on the new school. Of course, there are some listed here that got a boost from playing tribute to the old school, but there is an undercurrent happening in rock that points to the future. But, I'm getting ahead of myself; here come the champs. 10 MILITARIE GUN Life Under the Gun June 23, 2023 • Loma Vista Highlights Very High Will Logic Never Fucked Up Once Rising from the ranks of the still-potent L.A. hardcore scene, the debut record from Militarie Gun (following a trio of EPs) bears a dash of polish that's expected with backing from a larger label; the tension and energy remain, though, resulting in one of the catchiest hardcore albums I can think of in recent years. 9 ...

SOUND BITES

Search This Blog