Looking Back in Anger at Mudvayne's "the End of All Things to Come"

 I think we all know "L.D. 50" is a brilliant album, so it made more sense to put this one under a microscope and see how it has held up over the past 21 years. The first track was impressive since the first time I pressed play on this one back during it's release. I remember thinking when I first heard it that Gray sounded a little like Testaments Chuck Billy in places. My opinion in that regard has not changed , though now that is what I listen for. "Trapped in the Wake of a Dream" feels like the bass player is toning things down a bit, which works for the moodier tone. "Not Falling" is still a staple of their live show , and recalls more of the energy of the first album , even though this album marks the turning point where the sung vocals began to take precedence over the shout and growls. The syncopated hooks are still working really here. 

" (per) Version of a Truth" chugs it's more deliberate groove in a manner than lends itself for the smooth yet dynamic melodies to glide over. "Mercy Severity" is more tightly syncopated, before they take it in a more A Perfect Circle like direction, they do flex into a heavier climax, as you would expect them to. They power ballad "World So Cold' does a better job of exploring this more introspective side of the band , in a more hooky polished fashion that clicks together perfectly. "The Patient Mental" has more of a taunt palm muted groove. Not quite thrash, but another indication they took influence from that era. "Skrying' does some interesting things with it's groove without turning into a progged out Tool jam.  

"Solve et Coagula " hides any occult meanings implied in the title through roared metaphor. For these guys this is their more straightforward metallic moment. The bass often over powered the guitar on the first album and it is not the case here. I like the return to darker palm muted tension on "Shadow of Man". The title track is more hammering and finds the bass leading the charge. The album closes with "A Key to Nothing" which taps into their darker quirky side, with angular patterns dominating the groove. I will give this one a 9.5, as it's not as adventurous when it comes to song writing, but better than what most were doing at this time, and finds them at the top of the nu-metal heap.