| August 2003 - Metal Hammer: Mondo Generator - A Drug Problem That Never Existed
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by Greg Prato |
Judging by the songs they pen for QOTSA, Nick Oliveri represents the 'angst' and Josh Homme 'melody' in the band. And it turns out that Oliveri has even extra venom to unleash, as evidenced by "A Drug Problem That Never Existed", the sophomore outing by his sporadic side-band, Mondo Generator. Specialising in abrasive punk metal, Mondo began as a lark, when Oliveri laid down solo demos "just for the hell of it" in '97. The tapes sat on a shelf while Oliveri got the QOTSA machine rolling, but come '00, he decided to finally release them as "Cocaine Rodeo".
Like the debut, "A Drug Problem.." features special guests, including Oliveri's Queens bros Homme and Mark Lanegan, among others. And it seems that mondo has grown into a full-fledged band, as ex-kyuss drummer Brant Bjork, Earthlings guitarist Dave Catching and bassist Molly McGuire are now listed as 'full-time' members.
While not as gloriously raw as the debut, Mondo's latest is full of trademark Oliveri freakouts ("Meth, I hear you calling"), anthemic punk ("Here we come", "FY Im Free") and Stooges-style repetition ("So High, So Low", "Open up and bleed for Me"). Not all of "Drug Problem" is a ragefest however, as Oliveri takes it down a notch on the acoustic guitar-based "All I Can Do", and on the album's highpoint, the haunting, Mark Lanegan-sung "Four Corners".
With "A Drug Problem That Never Existed", Mondo Generator have just moved to the front of the trash-metal class!
Thanks to uncletommy for typing this one up!
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