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Released on September 16, 2016 via Magnetic Eye Records
When Helmet released Meantime back in 1992 I was 16 years old. I was a budding drummer who desperately tried to be Dave Grohl and Lars Ulrich, which at the time was not something to be ashamed of. So it was only a matter of time before I came across Helmet. Especially John Stanier’s drumming was what attracted me hugely to this band when I first heard Helmet’s breakthrough second album Meantime, and it was only a short matter of time before I found my new drummer idol. Well, John Stanier and Tim Alexander, but that’s a different story, which you can read here.
Meantime is arguably Helmet’s finest work and it turned out to become very influential down the years. Many bands cite Helmet as a major influence and there are still numerous musicians who claim John Stanier and Helmet guitarist and singer Page Hamilton as major sources of inspiration. So when Magnetic Eye Records got a bunch of bands to cover a song of Meantime to release a Redux version of this classic, I was certainly interested. A while ago the label did something similar with Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland, which went down really well, especially with the vinyl loving crowd, probably because Magnetic Eye Records has an ‘eye’ for the aesthetics and always produces great vinyl packages.
The success of a cover album totally depends on the originality and creativity the various bands put in. My opinion has always been that a great cover version of a song is not simply a copy of the original, but a version which the band really made their own. Basically a version where you can identify the original song, although sometimes not even that, with the cover version clearly bringing something new and exciting to the song. Meantime [Redux] had bits of both sides with some bands really creating something new and others simply playing a version very similar to the original. This doesn’t always have to be a bad thing though, but if you are talking about a band like Helmet, and especially their classic Meantime, you’re treading on thin ice.
I Am Become Death’s version of the opening track ‘In the Meantime’ is one of those versions that sound very similar to the original, except for the growlier, aggressive vocals. Similarly, Earthship’s version of ‘’Ironhead’ is not too dissimilar from the original, except again the vocals that give it more of an own identity. Ironweed continues with ‘Give It’, which sounds probably the most like Helmet’s version, vocals included.
The first bit of real excitement comes perhaps with Sunflo’er’s version of the classic track ‘Unsung’. The tempo is much higher, and the band has given it more of a hardcore vibe, so even though it still sounds very much like the original, the band really put their stamp on it with this version, including the little breakdowns and screaming parts. They are also the first band on this album that got me properly airdrumming! The mighty KEN mode continues the originality with their version of ‘Turned Out’, which is one of my favourite [Redux] tracks. The original version is a mighty beats with a very signature Helmet sound and rhythm, but KEN mode tackles this extremely well and created a new beast of their own here.
Kings Destroy brings it back to the original Helmet sound again with ‘He Feels Bad’, especially with the tempo and sound, which are very similar to Helmet’s version. Luckily Meek is Murder completely rips it up with their speedy hardcore version of ‘Better’ bringing something new again.
One of Ironweed’s band members is Magnetic Eye Records head honcho Mike Vitali and it is perhaps therefore not too surprising they contributed a second song ‘You Borrowed’. This version is actually a complete turn-a-round from the original, where they reduced it in length and kept it completely as a vocal cover. Sludgey noise rockers The Glorious Rebellion give an interesting take on the penultimate Meantime track ‘FBLA II’, also making it their own. Fuck the Facts’ grindcore version of ‘Role Model’ is absolutely brilliant and is the fastest cover track on [Redux], really adding the most amount of originality to this release.
Meantime [Redux] is a deluxe release, so where the original album ends with ‘Role Model’ here a number of bands add 6 more cover tracks, taken from other classic Helmet releases, such as Strap It On, Betty and Aftertaste of which Rosetta’s take on ‘Like I Care’ (from Aftertaste) is my favourite deluxe addition.
So is Meantime [Redux] a worthy addition to anyone’s record collection? I definitely think so yes. Again Magnetic Eye Records have made sure the packaging and vinyl pressings are to die for, but overall the balance of originality makes this release a worthy addition to especially Helmet fans. Just for the KEN mode and Fuck the Facts tracks alone it would be more than worthy. But the original release will never be surpassed, that’s for sure!
