Helmet – Size Matters
Author: Dan Bennett
Helmet has returned with a new lineup, but the core of the band has stayed the same. After a couple years with side-project Gandhi, frontman Page Hamilton has returned with former bandmate Chris Traynor and new additions Frank Bello (Anthrax) on bass and John Tempesta (Rob Zombie) on drums. Longtime fans of Helmet might be turned off by this drastic change in the band, but in my opinion, they have never sounded better. The newest album, Size Matters, picks up right where Aftertaste left off, with a very strong opening track, “Smart”. The rest of the album treads in familiar territory, which is not a bad thing by any means. They even included new versions of Gandhi songs “Enemies” and “Everybody Loves You” which both sound great and improved greatly from their previous versions. Hamilton has also grown as a singer and songwriter since Helmet first broke up. Standout tracks on this album are “Crashing Foreign Cars” a fast-paced track reminiscent of the Meantime era of Helmet, “Enemies” a song that plays out like a power ballad but with heavier guitar riffs, “Surgery” a song that showcases a new sound for the band, and “Last Breath”. Skeptics may look at the new lineup and immediately discount the band as another Page Hamilton side project, but believe me when I say this, Helmet is back and better than ever. This is an album for the fans, and in my opinion, the best since Meantime. In a world where we are looking for the “saviors of rock” from the many Nicklebacks and Linkin Parks of the world, we should look no further than Helmet. They have kept the same sound for 15 years and counting, and it hasn’t aged a bit.
Rating: 9/10
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