SOUNDGARDEN — Badmotorfinger (review)

SOUNDGARDEN — Badmotorfinger album cover

Album · 1991 · Heavy Alternative Rock

4.5/5 · 2010-03-31
Balthamel

Well this is my first album review ever so this will be exiting.

First let me tell you what an awesome album I have in front of me know, just pure heavy, angst full, and raw metal. this is Soundgardens third album release I have not heard the two previous to this, but from what I have read from other sources they are murkier and much harder and the punk influence clearer. But let’s get back to the Badmotorfinger review... this album is certain to give you a crazy ride, through angst filled, and angry Seattle natives minds, the musicians’ on this record are Chris Cornell (vocals, guitar, most of the words, and main tunesmith), Kim Thail (guitar), Matt Cameron (drums and backing vocals) and newcomer Ben Shepherd (bass and some Lyrics) I will not go overly technical regarding instruments or music theories but i will explain the album track by track with the best of my ability.

1. Rusty Cage - First this song rocks! What a great starter, it really settles the album in high gear, you can feel thees guys are ready to conquer the world with this song. the guitar are playing a dissonant riff, with a rumbling bass, and great drum performance. the vocals by Chris are top notch he have an incredible range. the song goes on for a while in high tempo, then a bridge, then suddenly starts the time-signature rollercoaster ride 3/4, 2/4 and 5/4 are the signature that carry us through this whit an awesome drummer and "metronome" Mr. Cameron. Trivia, this song was covered by the legend Johnny Cash. 5/5

2. Outshine - this song starts suddenly after the first, with a crunching guitar riff, one of the top Soundgarden songs and most famous, also one of the first examples of alternative metal, this song is quite complex and carris us through heavy, light and dark passages. great drum preformance. the pre course is cool 5/5

3. Slaves & Bulldozers - starts with a low tuned bass guitar, then some vocal, this song is dark and slow, almost sludge metal, the vocals by Chris on this song is inhuman sometimes he hits really high notes, it's even hints of growling on the last part. 4,25/5

4. Jesus Christ Pose - this song is like the craziest rollercoaster ride you will ever take. It feels like being sucked in to a worm hole of fire and heat. Heavy metal at its best, rumbling rock, angry and pointing a finger against religion. Technical guitar riff and drum pattern. Some of the best riffs I’ve heard in a long time. It got banned from MTV because of its anti-relgious message. 5/5

5. Face Pollution - is a short song which is a mix of heavy metal and punk rock, fast and catchy yet contribute some surprises a long the way, a Rush-like section were they somehow point a finger against the other grunge bands "try to do this after us" still crazy drum performance and impressive bass line as well. 4/5

6. Somewhere - have a overdrive bass effect which is the standout feature on this song because it creates a cool sludgie groove in the verse and in the bridge, some interesting guitar plucking in second verse, really cool song which gets better each time you listen to it and good corous, nice fade out with awesome bass overdrive line then the song increase back again COOL. 5/5

7. Searching With my Good Eye Closed - starts with a funny spoken word part then this turns into a groovy alternative metal song. Nice groove. But also the song closest to grunge on this album, albeit this is grunge it is in the highest quality of their pears. Not the best song on the album but it's still more then good enough 4/5

8. Room a Thousand Years Wide - hard crushing heavy metal riff, some odd-time signatures, sludge metal. this song also features some saxophone this automatically gives this song a jazzy feel (almost avant-garde) 4,25/5

9. Mind Riot - starts of with some nice bass guitar then some cool guitar riffs, this song have a nice atmosphere Chris Cornell sings really well here. I really like the guitar melodies here. Matt Cameron really brings some creative drum patterns here. I feel this song contribute to the overall good feeling of this album, the feeling of creativity gives this album a rare quality thanks to songs like this 4/5

10. Drawing Flies - is probably my favourite song on this album after Outshine. a really funny song, mind-blowing metal riff, again you hear some jazz instruments this time the sax, is complained by trombone and there is some really cool bass grooves, this song is all about groove, but with what i will cal, hints of free jazz 5/5

11. Holy Water - a very good hard rock song with lots of variation and layers, with a catchy and infectious corous, nice guitar solo, great song and Matt Cameron have some backing vocals (he also have backing vocals on Outshine)5/5

12. New Damage - this song is EPIC really shows were the band is heading, and it shows what the later album Superunkown will sound like. this song is almoust boundring to Stoner Metal. The sketches for Black Hole Sun are laid here. a slow menacing song, the psychedelic elements is strong here, and it builds and builds, intense song that demands concentration from the listeners (still after 50 minutes.) the epic finale 5/5

this album is a masterpiece of metal, but this album is not just a metal album, the song writing here is really the magical recipe here, top notch musicians, with Chris Cornell as the top chef and Matt Cameron as the steersman who sails the ship, with Kim and Ben adding the nuances. Soundgarden was not only one of the founding grunge band but also the band who draw the links between Alt rock and Alt metal closer, they contributed alot to the development of both Sludge metal and Stoner metal. you can bet the progmetal band Mastodon learnd a few tricks from Badmotorfinger and the later Superunkown.

Easy 4 and a half star almost 5