Helmet : "Left"

The first song from the once iconic 90s band leaves me wondering what happened to Paige Hamilton's voice. He used to havea very commanding bark, it lacks the oomph it once had on the opening track. The guitar mix could stand to be a little more in your face as well.In factr the vocals should sit back in the guitars more. The first time I heard this song I had to check to make sure I had the right band. But the more syncopated attacked the song builds into it bcomes more apparent I have. "Gun Fluf" has a more straight forward almost punk attack. The vocals flow better, but most to the punch you expect from these guys feels sacrficed in the mix. Without of the major sonic offenders being the lack of bass. 

"NYC Tough Guy" the begin to sound a little more like themselves here. "M ake Up" findsd them closer to Hum territory than make you might expect from them as it leans into melody. There is more grit on "Big Shot". It also finds the lyrics improving as they have been a weak spot on this album as well.  "Bombastic' finds some of them take an experimental step away frojm what is expected , while also incorporating many of the staple of their sound to finds a perfect balance they should have been aiming for all along. "Dislocated" also finds them returning to more fmailar sounds and packing more of a punch., There is a pseudo blus section in the song which works while allow ing the band to stretch their legs/

"Tell Me Again' starts off with the twang of blues guitar, and the strum of acoustic guitar that sounds like it would sound more at home on a Foo-Fighters album. To Hamilton's credit, this is some of the album's best singing , even it it does not really sound like Helmet. "Powder Puff" finds the dreamier melodic nature of their newer sound in place, but it works against the groove of the guitar. There are some strong moments that find the band moving their sound forward while retaining their indentity, but a weord mix, and uneven vocal preformance finds me giving this an 8.