Meantime (album)
Meantime | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 23, 1992[1] | |||
Recorded | December 1991 – February 1992 | |||
Studio | ||||
Genre | ||||
Length | 36:56 | |||
Label |
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Producer | Helmet | |||
Helmet chronology | ||||
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Singles from Meantime | ||||
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Alternate cover | ||||
Meantime is the second studio album and
Despite initially only achieving moderate commercial success, peaking at number 68 on the Billboard 200 chart upon release in 1992,[6] the album influenced multiple bands in its wake,[6] and has been well received by music critics and is considered an influential album of the metal genre.[7] Meantime has continued to sell consistently well in the years since its release, and in 1994 was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album has sold over 2 million copies worldwide.[8]
The lead single from Meantime, "
Background
After the release of their nine-song debut album
Recording
The song "In the Meantime" was recorded by
Artwork
The album cover features an image of a man in a white protective suit shoveling some substance on the ground. It is taken from a photograph by David Plowden, "Puddler In Blast Furnace Cast House, Steel Mill, East Chicago, Indiana (1979)".
The album is available with one of two reversely-colored covers; one has a blue background with a white-on-red Helmet logo, and the other has a red background with a white-on-blue Helmet logo (pictured above).
Touring
To support the album in 1992, Helmet opened for Faith No More,[13] a band which, like Helmet, would later be credited with influencing the nu metal movement.[14] These shows came about since the members of Faith No More wanted to have Helmet on their tour.[15] In some promotional photos from 1992, Faith No More's bassist Billy Gould can be seen wearing a Helmet shirt.
The band played their first shows in
Reception
Commercial performance
Meantime was originally scheduled to be released in April 1992,[18] being delayed until June of that year. The vinyl release of the album was handled by Amphetamine Reptile, who negotiated with Interscope to retain the vinyl rights to the band.[19]
It became Helmet's breakthrough album, and upon release peaked at number 68 on Billboard's
and several European countries, in addition to charting at a higher position in the United States and Australia. However, it has sold a lower number of copies overall when compared to Meantime.Critical reception
The album received positive reviews, John Franck of AllMusic labeled Meantime "arguably one of the most influential and overlooked rock records of the '90s". He praised the music "colored by Teutonic riffs, with only 'Unsung' hinting at a gasp of commercial accessibility."[6][7] Entertainment Weekly writer David Browne gave it a B− in his August 1992 review, and remarked, "call Helmet alternative metal. The New York band plays tightfisted speed-thrash, but without the overblown melodrama of the metal scene. ('To die young is far too boring these days,' sings Page Hamilton at one point.) Helmet is fascinating in theory and can crank up the decibels ably enough to have landed the once independent-label band a million-dollar contract with a major record company."[22] Kerrang!'s Steffan Chirazi defined the album as "a wall of angry, bitter and agonised New York street cries", giving it maximum ratings.[23] Metal publication Hard Report wrote in 1992, "one thing that differentiates them from the standard pack of 'next big things' is that there's not just 'buzz' that surrounds this band. It's more like a solid wall of noise."[29] They further noted, "the alternative types have been grooving to them since their debut 1990 release Strap It On. It seems a bit odd that metal never seemed to take more than a passing interest in them until recently."[29]
Legacy
The sound of Meantime, with Page Hamilton's staccato riffs, jazz-influenced chords and solos, and dual-voice singing style, proved influential to nu metal and alternative metal bands. The album, along with Betty and Aftertaste, is considered a definitive influence in post-metal.[30] In November 1999, Iowa State Daily ranked "Unsung" 50th on a list of the "Top 90 Essential Songs of the 90's", labeling it an "alt-metal masterpiece".[31] In 2003, Kerrang! ranked Meantime as 48th on their list of the "50 Most Influential Albums of All Time",[32] while Rolling Stone ranked it 54th on their 2017 list of "The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time".[33] Alex Ogg wrote in the 2003 book The Rough Guide to Rock that it is "one of the great hard-ass intensity records", and that "parts of it make Rollins look like a lounge singer".[34] Stereogum in 2021 remarked that it featured, "some of the toughest riffs ever recorded".[35] The following year, Guitar World ranked Meantime 10th on their list of "The 30 Greatest Rock Guitar Albums of 1992", stating, "If you were to boldly claim that the importance of the (repetitive) riff replaced the significance of soloing in rock by '92, you could point directly to the sophomore effort by Helmet, Meantime. [Just] listen to guitarists Page Hamilton and Peter Mengede grind it out on such standouts as 'In the Meantime', 'Iron Head', and 'Unsung' – while Hamilton shouts most of his vocals a la an irate drill instructor – to hear the proof."[36] In 2022, Revolver also included it on their list of "20 Great Albums from 1992".[37] They stated that the band "did little to tone down their abrasive sound", further adding that, "single 'Unsung' has its poppy moments, but still culminates in a decidedly radio-unfriendly one-and-a-half minute instrumental outro."[37]
The songs "In the Meantime", "Ironhead", "Give It", "Unsung" and "Better" were included on the 2004 compilation album
Track listing
All tracks are written by Page Hamilton
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "In the Meantime" | 3:11 |
2. | "Ironhead" | 3:23 |
3. | "Give It" | 4:17 |
4. | "Unsung" | 3:59 |
5. | "Turned Out" | 4:13 |
6. | "He Feels Bad" | 4:02 |
7. | "Better" | 3:09 |
8. | "You Borrowed" | 3:49 |
9. | "FBLA II" | 3:22 |
10. | "Role Model" | 3:31 |
Total length: | 36:56 |
Personnel
Credits taken from the CD liner notes.
Helmet
- Page Hamilton – vocals, lead guitar
- Peter Mengede – rhythm guitar
- Henry Bogdan – bass
- John Stanier – drums
Technical
- Helmet – production
- Steve Albini – engineering, "In the Meantime"
- Wharton Tiers – engineering, all songs except "In the Meantime"
- Andy Wallace – mixing
- Steve Sisco – assistant mixing, engineering
- Howie Weinberg – mastering
Charts
Chart (1993) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA Charts)[42] | 88 |
U.S. Top Heatseekers[43] |
1 |
U.S. Billboard 200[44] | 68 |
References
- ^ Russell, Deborah (June 27, 1992). "Helmet covers bases via major/indie push". Billboard. No. v. 104, n. 26. p. 44. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
- ^ Terich, Jeff (September 18, 2011). "The 90 Minute Guide: Metal, Part Two". Treblezine.com. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
- ^ "Classic Album Review : Helmet - Meantime (1992)". Dead End Follies. July 15, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
- ^ Earles, Andrew (March 31, 2015). "The Revival of Cherubs". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
- ^ Eslund, Kristina (June 1, 1992). "Kristina's Airhead Airwaves" (PDF). HITS. 6 (294): 61.
- ^ a b c "MusicMight :: Artists :: HELMET". Musicmight.com. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f Franck, John. "Meantime – Helmet". AllMusic. Retrieved September 20, 2008.
- ^ Terich, Jeff (June 18, 2012). "In the Meantime: Helmet's landmark album at 20". Treble. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ SPIN - Google Books. August 1992. Retrieved February 22, 2013.
- ^ Spin. September 1992. p. 79.
- ^ "Other pop". the Guardian. December 12, 2004.
- ^ a b "New pop order". November 5, 1992.
- ^ "Band : Listed Below is all of the known Tour Dates, Album, E.P. & Singles release dates that I have info on from this New York hardcore/metal band". Metallipromo.com. Retrieved June 5, 2022.
- ^ "Monochrome - Helmet | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
- ^ "Helmet Interview - Henry Bogdan and Peter Mengede.mpg" – via YouTube.
- ^ Mengede, Peter. BoostingShapes podcast, 2019.
- ^ "HELMET To Release First Official Live Album, 'Live And Rare'". Blabbermouth.net. September 8, 2021.
- ^ "Helmet - Chicago 26/01/1992 #1". YouTube.
- ^ Russell, Deborah (June 27, 1992). "Helmet Covers Bases Via Major/Indie Push". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
- ^ Kot, Greg (July 9, 1992). "Helmet: Meantime (Interscope)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
- ISBN 0-312-24560-2. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
- ^ a b Browne, David (August 21, 1992). "Meantime". Entertainment Weekly. p. 62. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
- ^ a b Chirazi, Steffan (June 20, 1992). "Helmet: Meantime". Kerrang! (397). London.
- ^ Moon, Tom (July 5, 1992). "Helmet: Meantime (Interscope)". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
- ^ Azerrad, Michael (September 17, 1992). "Helmet: Meantime". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on November 27, 2007. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
- ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ Perry, Andrew (August 1992). "Helmet: Meantime". Select (26): 93.
- ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
- ^ a b "AllMusic" (PDF). Worldradiohistory.com. June 5, 1992. Retrieved June 5, 2022.
- ^ "HELMET Rediscovery". X-Press Online. March 28, 2007. Archived from the original on August 31, 2007. Retrieved March 31, 2007.
Albums such [as] Meantime (1992), Betty (1994) and even Aftertaste (1997) eschewed the traditional concept of heavy music, trademarked the drop-d power-groove in 5/4, and pioneered a whole new trend in music. Even now, these albums stand on their own as definitive texts in post-metal.
- ^ Writer), written by Conor Bezane and Corey Moss (Daily Staff. "The 90 Essential Songs of the 90's". Iowa State Daily.
- ^ "50 Most Influential Albums Of All Time". Kerrang!. May 2003. Retrieved January 8, 2008.
- ^ "Rolling Stone Share Their Choices For 'The 100 Greatest Metal Albums Of All Time'". Theprp.com. June 21, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
- ^ The Rough Guide to Rock. London: Rough Guides. 2003. p. 487.
- ^ "Memoria: The Most Consequential Release Date in Alt-Rock Was 30 Years Ago TodayMemoria, Memoria: The Most Consequential Release Date in Alt-Rock Was 30 Years Ago Today". September 24, 2021.
- ^ Greg Prato (April 28, 2022). "The 30 greatest rock guitar albums of 1992". guitarworld.
- ^ a b "20 Great Albums From 1992". Revolver. June 6, 2022.
- ^ Kellman, Andy. "Unsung: The Best of Helmet Review". AllMusic. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
- ^ "Helmet best-of to be released in January". www.punknews.org. December 27, 2003.
- ^ "Various Artists – Meantime Redux". Ghost Cult Mag. October 4, 2016. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- ^ "Meantime [Redux] I Deluxe Edition". Bandcamp. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 127.
- ^ "Helmet;– Billboard Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
- ^ "Helmet album charts [albums]". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2007.