Album Review and Interview: Mushroomhead - Call The Devil

Nu-Metal/Avant-Garde Metal performers Mushroomhead have returned with their 9th studio album Call The Devil which features female vocals from Jackie LaPonza alongside Steve Rauckhorst, Scott Beck and Steve 'Skinny' Felton for the first time. Furthermore, following a 12 year long hiatus, longtime guitarist Dave "Gravy" Felton returns to provide his trademark style on two of the record's tracks.

The record opens with 'Eye To Eye' starting off with what sounds like a radio advertisement and banjo before it kicks in to a groove-riff and cacophony of guitars, sirens, drums and growls. It's catchy and trademark Mushroomhead. 'Fall In Line' is dark and heavy, hitting you like a battering ram of blast-beats, dramatic synths, frantic riffs and chugging basslines. This is the first track in this record to feature female leading vocals.

'Emptiness' slows the pace and introduces the band's penchant for experimenting with different styles and elements. Taking a more progressive direction, the track still relies on synths and raw energy but they utilise funk elements in their guitarwork and progressive time signatures. 'We Don't Care' sends a clear cut message; they're going to do their own thing and they don't care about anything else. This track is straight out of the 90s nu-metal era with elements of classic Mushroomhead creeping through.

It's here that the record enters in to 'filler' territory. 'UIOP (The Final Reprieve)' opens with a sinister waltz and maintains an air of uneasiness throughout however it sounds more like a jam session rather than a solid track and wouldn't be missed if it was removed. 'Prepackaged' returns to the same dark and heavy vibe as 'Fall In Line,' a drastic improvement compared to the track that proceeded it.

'Decomposition' is sinister, off-putting and creepy. It opens with the sound of a carnival merry-go-round before descending into a mid-tempo, sludgy beat. It gives off the vibes of a bad burlesque stage show but it's highly doubtful that Dita von Teese is going to be performing to this track any time soon. 'Grand Gesture' however stands out in this middle section of the record. It's stylish, well executed and probably the closest thing to a ballad that Mushroomhead will deliver.

'Hallelucination' is strange and uncomfortable; it's clear the band are trying to experiment and execute a sense of uneasiness but the target has been missed and it seems to be randomly placed. However, they hit that target effortlessly with 'Hideous' and 'Torn In Two.' Chugging guitars, addictive beats and unnerving synths along with a combination of clean vocals and fry screams create an ominous atmosphere. Mushroomhead revisit their roots with this track and is most certainly one of the stronger tracks of the record.

'Shame In A Basket' is the record's penultimate track and it's an 8 minute long monster. It's floating, atmospheric and ambient with a dark energy calling from the void interspersed with flurries of heavy guitars, and dual vocals. This would be the perfect end to the record however 'Doom Goose' steals that privilege undeservedly. A theatrical minute and a half long instrumental...with a honking goose, because okay sure, why not?

Mushroomhead have never been afraid to experiment and when it works, it's brilliant but when it doesn't work, it's bad. Call The Devil isn't the worst record but it isn't the best either. Take out the filler tracks, namely 'UIOP,' 'Decomposition,' 'Hallelucination' and 'Doom Goose' and Call The Devil would serve to be a much stronger record than it is. Like seriously...what's with the goose?

Check out Emilee's latest interview with Skinny of MushroomHead for This Day In Metal where he goes in to the writing and recording process for Call The Devil, challenges, the band's masks and more.

Rating: 6/10
Release Date: August 9th 2024
Released By: Napalm Records
FFO: Coal Chamber, American Head Charge, Static-X, Dope, Mudvayne

Track List

1. Eye To Eye
2. Fall In Line
3. Emptiness
4. We Don't Care
5. UIOP (A Final Reprieve)
6. Prepackaged
7. Decomposition
8. Grand Gesture
9. Hallelucination
10. Hideous
11. Torn In Two
12. Shame In A Basket
13. Doom Goose