Welcome to Versus. The series where we look at two albums in metal history, compare them to each other, and see which one was the better record.
In this edition of Versus, we are gonna get weird and step outside of the box that is metal. Looking at the avant-garde elements of metal, and the lunatic-like genius of two bands fronted by the legendary Faith No More front man Mike Patton. Both projects showcase his random, kooky and artistic-side that was way more experimental in his music career. One album, created a fever-dream like sonic journey that included everything from ska and heavy metal, to funk, jazz and circus music. With a debut album that would garner a cult following with the album's release and would influence countless acts like Korn and Avenged Sevenfold. The other album, with it's star-studded lineup, pushed the creativity and structure of music out the window to create an audio soundscape of the obscure. Taking their inspiration from the success of the music of classic horror and Hollywood films. So, take notes on this lesson in musical artistry in this matchup I'm calling "From The Mind of Mike Patton".
In this corner, we have Mr. Bungle and the band's 1991 self-titled debut album. Produced by legendary avant-garde composer John Zorn, the album that pushed the genre of rock and metal into so many directions that not even a roadmap or GPS could help you. Complex, out there, and creative in nature, the album would not only gather them a cult-following upon its release, it would also push funk and alternative metal in a whole new way. Helping boost the band's unique sound and artistry, with many bands either taking inspiration from the band in their own music or riding the rising wave of alternative & funk metal with acts like Primus, Infectious Groove and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Let's dive into this sideshow of a record and see what this record brings into this matchup.
The album opens with the song "Quote Unquote". Originally called "Travolta", the song was changed to "Quote Unquote" due to potential legal issues using actor John Travolta's name without his permission. After almost thirty seconds of silence, the music kicks in with ringing guitars and plinking synth effects. Creating an almost horror movie theme intro with the pounding drums. Then, the synth heavy leads of Patton, wah-pedal guitar of Trey Spruance and funky bass from Trevor Dunn join in the lunacy of the track. Drummer Danny Heifetz creates a jazz-like drum groove at certain parts, before the song just goes all out musically. The saxophone section of Clinton "Bär" McKinnon & Theobald Brooks Lengyel peak through before the pacing drops out to create an eerie and ominous whisper vocal delivery. Chaotic, manic, almost schizophrenic in nature, the song truly is symbolic of the maddening nature of Mr. Bungle. Forming a diverse sound that is almost like "alternative jazz" or "avant-garde rock" and even those terms are just the tip of the iceberg on how to describe this track. "Slowly Growing Deaf" opens with a 70's surf rock guitar, into an adult-contemporary ambience and Patton delivering a softer vocal performance amongst his synths. The alternative rock/metal sound comes in with palm-muted guitars and driving drums by Heifetz. Giving off vibes of Phish with the jam band aesthetic in the music, with the genre hopping, random tempo and pace changes, the song just sounds like Patton and company are having a blast performing the track. It would be a good intro song for the band since the main riff on the verses does have that Faith No More-feel to it, before the song just mutates in so many different directions.
"Squeeze Me Macaroni" has a funky guitar and cowbell opening with Patton almost rapping. The song, along with the saxophone section, gives off one hell of a funky, disco groove. I was toe-tapping along with the drumming and the funk-infused Fishbone guitar sound. With the tease of distorted guitar throughout the spazzy saxophone, the song turns heavy around the two minute mark with Dunn's bass pops coming through loud and clear. Another fun song that just had a catchy, up-tempo attitude and bounce to it. The same, chill vibe opens "Carousel", before we get a ska-like horns section in the intro. Musically, the music has a cinematic pacing, which Patton does well with all of his projects. With a nice, catchy guitar and brass section throughout. Showing off the band's fearless mindset of throwing anything into the band's sound and making it work. Darker elements come into play with distorted, palm-muted guitar, before Patton really shines vocally. The musical arrangement is just entrancing throughout. With so many genres of ska, circus music, western and alternative, it truly showcases how original Mr. Bungle was for the time, and how they are still one of the most diverse and complex bands in music history. "Egg" continues that funky-bass groove, into an almost polka-like drum and bass section. With the brass section following along with Patton's clean but sporadic vocals. The song is just another avant-garde journey that is a showcase of the maddening but genius mind of Patton and company in the musical arrangement, pacing, and peaks and valleys of the track. At over ten and a half minutes, the song is just one overwhelming song to try to comprehend every little element throughout, and trying to keep up with it for the whole run time can be exhausting, exhilarating and overwhelming all at the same time.
"Stubb (A Dub)" opens with carnival/circus like keyboards with Patton's high vocal delivery and drums and bass accenting his vocals. Then, with the additional types of vocals, the song begins to again just go rogue and speed up & slow down. Pumping bass synths, vocal effects on Patton and jazz like drums, the song is just another drug-trip induced audio journey that grabs the listener and never lets go. No matter what the listener tries to figure out or make sense of the journey that they are along for the ride for. A Primus-esque bass/guitar combo opens "My Ass is On Fire". With aggressive keyboard strikes and a nice heavy drum groove, the song starts off a little more aggressive, before brass and guitars bring back the disco-groove, but with a darker tinge. Especially in Patton's vocal delivery. Bringing that alternative metal/funk metal feeling to the track, the song seems to be potentially the most aggressive track on the album. Patton channels his inner sleazeball with "The Girls of Porn". The song definitely has that porn-vibe sound with the lead bass groove and horns. With porn samples throughout the song, it adds that sleazy, grimy feeling to the already disco funk sound that Patton delivers with his vocals. "Love is A Fist" opens with layers of guitar, both clean, acoustic and distorted, before the brass strikes and groove of Dunn's bass leads again with the drumming of Heifetz. The synth effects of almost a balloon deflating creates a schizophrenic-like solo before the song has an almost thrash call and response feel of the song's title. All while the brass section pops and cracks amidst Patton's all over the place vocals. Album closer "Dead Goon" is another ten-minute grand finale. With so many samples, synth effects, a commanding rhythm section and a powerhouse of talent, the song really pushes the band's diverse sound into an epic finale. More start/stop pacing, clean piano, symphonic, jazz and funk to close out one of the most creative, complex, techincal and overall maddening records.
Their opponent is Patton'spost-Faith No Moreproject Fantômas with the band's second album, 2001's The Director's Cut. With a lot of people calling this Patton's version of "improvised, chaotic and free-form jazz that only Patton could deliver". Featuring his fellow Mr. Bungle bandmate Trevor Dunn, the band would also feature Melvins front man and guitarist Buzz Osbourne on guitar and metal drum legend Dave Lombardo.The album would take inspiration from the film scores and songs from classic and obscure horror and dramatic films. With the band performing them in the band's "own unique way". With this all-star lineup, does it compete with the "far out there" vibe of Mr. Bungle's debut?
"The Godfather" opens the album. With the wailing, violin like opening similar to the classic piece from the film. Buzz Osbourne's heavy distorted guitar rings in with Dave Lombardo's drum strikes right behind him. Then, the song just goes into a free-fall of intense, almost thrash metal in the guitar playing and drums. Patton is just unintelligible with lyrics and delivering manic screaming and noises that still sound heavy for being incoherent. The pulsing bass of Dunn comes in to a relaxing opening, with elements of mandolin coming beneath Patton's clean vocals. After a guitar slide, the song becomes operatic with effects and building drums behind it, before coming back down to the relaxing and somber section before the rise. "Der Golem" opens with HEAVY bass and strings, with pounding drums and the guitars following along. With a doom-heavy cinematic atmosphere, it sounds so ominous and evil. Patton's screams on the song reminds me of a mix between Steve "Zetro" Souza of Exodus and Mike Williams of Eyehategod. The whole song is just a punishing amalgamation of a heavy breakdown, with sweeping strings and industrial elements. Lombardo's drum build and double bass near the closing section has so much power and presence in the mix as the song concludes. On "Experiment in Terror", we get Osbourne's sludge metal-heavy ringing guitars, before a sinister sounding drum and guitar section segues into a smooth-jazz sounding verses section. Patton delivers a 1950's doo-wop tone in his vocals, especially with the beat behind him, before the song again switches gears into the heavy and dark. With matching vocals having more grit and distortion on them, before again coming back to the sultry smooth-jazz section.
"One Step Beyond" opens with a 1950's sounding orchestral score from old-school sci-fi movies of the era. With tremolo guitar/mandolin (I can't tell honestly), the song opens with that continued feeling of the unknown. With Lombardo again flying on the kit as the song builds. The song appears to be an instrumental until after the halfway mark, as Patton goes unhinged again with his vocals as Lombardo blasts and matches the highs that Patton delivers. And the progressive elements of the drums and guitar playing at the close is another nice, random touch. After the short, ethereal style "Night of The Hunter (Remix)", which channels the haunting vocal effect of horror movies, comes the song "Cape Fear". With a Black Sabbath-esque opening guitar riff, the vocals come in hot with the building drums beneath them. Bass leads the charge with the guitars, with the band dropping out as a vocal effect, mixed with a record-player warping effect, adds tension and power with anticipation. As the riff comes back and the song channels a sludgy, doom, traditional heavy metal feeling before the manic closing seconds.
The terrifying la la's of "Rosemary's Baby" open with music box effects beneath it. Patton's vocals are ominous, terrifying, creepy and match the motif of the song's tribute to the memorable original. Guitars add heft to the madness after the one-minute mark, creating this heavy, gothic-tinged sway to the music and vocals. As if Patton is conducting a macabre orchestra with this piece. The band speeds up to a fever pitch near the three quarters mark, almost expecting a heavy payoff, but the song shifts back to the haunting la la vocals of Patton and the music box notes ringing in the mix. "The Devil Rides Out (Remix)" adds rising vocals and guitars as those elements begin to get louder in the mix, along with Lombardo's drumming. Chaotic sound effects, strings, and gun shots help build the effect of a grand battle of an otherworldly scale. "Spider Baby" opens with a horror-tinged piano, before a bouncy guitar riff and drums come right in. I was instantly bobbing my head along with the Osbourne-led riff. Patton delivers an ominous spoken word vocal delivery, fitting the horror movie aesthetic of the song. Ringing strings and Latin lyrics by Patton open "The Omen (Ave Satani)". With a heavenly pipe-organ sound and choir vocals, which dramatically shifts into a building thrash riff and percussion beneath it,. The song goes straight into blast beats and tremolo guitars throughout the cries to the sky vocals of Patton.
"Henry: Portrait of A Serial Killer" opens with commanding, movie-like drums soaked in reverb. Building a horrifying anticipation that shows itself at the forty second mark. Dunn's bass comes ringing front and center, adding that trademark 80's horror feel. Patton's eerie and creepy vocals come in, with distorted guitars and pummeling drums. Adding more anxiety to the already ominous & foreboding track. The song is less chaotic and more straightforward in nature compared to what we've heard so far on the album. "Vendetta" continues the haunting child-like vocal openings, but with a bass-heavy groove and vocal effects. The random guitar effects and strikes add to the sci-fi like vibe. Sci-fi, Theremin-like effects and record playing opens "Investigation of A Citizen Above Suspicion". With ringing keys and synth effects, with random chugs, the song continues that obscure infusion of movie score, hard rock/metal, and musical arrangement. Patton randomly lets out incoherent screams and yells throughout the piece as the riff becomes more prominent over the synths and drums. With intelligible vocals amongst the chugs and swaying effects, the song creates that feeling of paranoia and anxiousness. "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me" has layered electronic effects among ringing guitars and cymbal hits. Patton returns to that smooth jazz vocal delivery with light percussion and keys, then WHAM Lombardo hits the listener with a drum roll and double bass. Before coming back to that sultry, swaying smoothness that Patton delivers. The addition of electronic drums adds a new depth to the track, all while the sci-fi laser like effects ring through the mix as the guitar and bass rise into a dark, industrial like groove. The album's final track, "Charade", opens with organ-like keyboards and random distorted effects and subtle guitar. Then, percussion comes in with Patton delivering almost skat-like vocals before forming words and delivering clean vocals above a western-like soundscape. Then, Dunn comes in with a nice walking bass, before the song turns aggressive and distorted for a brief moment. With building drums, the song again shifts back into an ethereal, peaceful but bouncy groove. Transforming into thrash heavy drums, over atmospheric mandolin, ringing distortion, and double bass. The most avant-garde track on the album to close out this musical journey through one man's vision of classic cinema composition.
As we wake up from the crazed trip we just went through in the chaotic and brilliant mind of Mike Patton, and probably have one hell of a hangover trying to process it. Which one of his projects comes out the winner of this matchup? This is a tough one to call honestly. Both projects are SO unique and different in certain ways. Mr. Bungle is more random in nature and pushes that through longer song times. Fantômas is heavier and more reigned in, but is also more chaotic and random in the improvisational sections and liberties with the inspirations it takes for their songs. At the end of the day, I have to make a decision (since I've yet to have a tie in this series), but I will choose Mr. Bungle's self-titled album as the winner of this matchup by a very close margin. Mr. Bungle's album was groundbreaking and really was ahead of it's time in the musical inspiration and direction that the band went. There really hasn't been a band that really comes close to Mr. Bungle in taking musical risks and this record took more risks than Fantômas did. I still love Fantômas' The Director's Cut and is kind of a good gateway band to see if you REALLY wanna dive into the murky waters of Patton's other projects. My personal favorite of his random side projects is Maldoror, an experimental noise project he did with Japanese noise artist Merzbow. But out of the weird and eclectic albums we tackled today, I would declare Mr. Bungle the winner.
Mr. Bungle would ride their cult-like success from their debut album with their second album, 1995's Disco Volante. With an even more experimental sound then their previous record and darker themes, the album would still received favorable reviews from critics. The band would release one more album, 1999's California, before breaking up in 2000 with the band pursuing other projects. The band would rise from the depths in 2020, with Spruance and Dunn being the only other original members returning. The band would release The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo in 2020. A re-recording of the band's debut demo, along with a couple new songs. The album featured new members Scott Ian of Anthrax onguitar and Dave Lombardo on drums.
Fantômas would tour in support of The Director's Cut. In 2004, the band would release their third album Delìrium Còrdia. An experiment in ambience, noise and drone, it consisted of one single song over seventy minutes long. The track/album would receive positive reviews from critics and fans. The band's last album was 2005's Suspended Animation. A concept album incorporating a dual theme of cartoon sounds and music as well as random holidays in the month of April. All of the band members would return to their main projects after this album and the band has been dormant with no new music or tours announced at time of writing.
Do you agree with my decision? Who do you think should have won? Cast your vote on the poll below, leave your comments on our social media, and your suggestions who you think should step in the ring next. I’m Justin, your friendly neighborhood metalhead, for This Day in Metal and this has been Versus.
