CHEVELLE — Hats Off to the Bull (review)

CHEVELLE — Hats Off to the Bull album cover

Album · 2011 · Alternative Metal

3/5 · 2014-04-09
Primeval Scum

I absolutely adore Sci-Fi Crimes, so Hats Off to the Bull had a tough task in following it up.

Almost halfway through the album there were still none of the “wow moments” I was hoping for – moments that I savored on Sci-Fi Crimes.

However, this complaint was remedied when I reached “Envy”, the song where Chevelle branches out the most. With a beautifully complex, rumbling bass line and the most dynamic vocal performance on the album, this track is one that should not be skipped. The “wow moment” comes at the epic conclusion of the track when Loeffler repeats “to the one” in his signature whispered falsetto.

“Envy” contrasts wonderfully with the next track, the title track. Perhaps the heaviest song on the album, “Hats Off To The Bull” does not hesitate to assault the listener with a barrage of distorted guitar riffs and angry vocals. When Loeffler reaches the chorus his voice is nearly at a scream. Despite the pounding drums and relentless guitars, this track is contagiously catchy. After only my first listen it became a quick favorite.

From there, the album begins to taper off, however. “Arise”, “Revenge” and “Clones” have potential but are outmatched by the first half of the album. They are still listenable tracks, as all of Chevelle’s are, but there is simply nothing great about them.

Amidst these mediocre tracks is a gem – “Prima Donna.” This elegant acoustic track is similar to “Highland Apparition” off of Sci-Fi Crimes. The track features just Pete Loeffler and his acoustic guitar, no other instrumentation at all, and its simple melodies are astonishing. Chevelle has gotten into a habit of releasing one acoustic song on each album, and I have quite enjoyed these serene jams. There has even been talk of an all-acoustic Chevelle album, which, if as good as "Prima Donna", I would most definitely purchase.

Hats Off To The Bull features 11 very dense tracks that pack a punch, whether it be with heavy guitars and aggressive vocals, or a more restrained and emotional approach. The band weaves in a lot of impressive flourishes with the bass guitar, always downright groovy or sinister.

The overall atmosphere has darkened since Sci-Fi Crimes, but this album is not as heavy or guitar driven as previous albums. If there is a clear difference between the guitar work in this album and previous ones, it’s that the guitar has taken a back seat to the vocals. Don’t get me wrong, Chevelle has maintained its melodic hard rock sound, but the guitar riffs, while still present, are no longer the primary driving force behind many of the songs. That role has been delegated to Pete Loeffler and his commanding vocal ability. This gives many of the new songs a "poppier" quality than I'm used to hearing from the band. I'm not sure that I like it.

I feel like this release, while a fun listen, was not their very best. I wouldn’t even go as far as to call it a disappointment; it’s too good for that label. This album is good but not quite great, and it had to be great in order to match their previous work.

Standout Tracks: Envy, Hats Off To The Bull, Prima Donna