Reviewed - 08/15/05

Hungwell
[No Joke Records]

Here's an album that I am on the fence about.

Nuse are more hardcore than anything else, but they also incorporate elements of thrash, death metal, funk, and Mr. Bungle-esque avant garde comedy. This is a band that has been playing since the early 1990's, and has released almost half a dozen demos and EPs. Their debut full-length, "Hungwell," was recorded in 2002, and was released this year by fledgling label No Joke Records. This is an album that features plenty of extreme metal, hardcore, and general zaniness. This is a band that can write strong riffs and play their instruments well, and who aren't afraid to have a little fun in their music.

Normally, this would be a recipe for one of my favorite albums of the year. But in the case of Nuse, there is something missing. There are problems. For every aspect of the Jersey trio that I find appealing, there is something else that bothers me. For everything good, there is something bad.

First off, the name: I'm sorry, but Nuse has to be one of the worst names for a metal band that I have ever heard. It is the sort of 'creative spelling' that was annoying back in the 1980's. Was 'Noose' already taken? And just as bad as the name is the band's preoccupation with using forms of the verb 'hang' in every demo, EP, and album title. Take a look at Nuse's discography and you'll see what I mean. It is the sort of gimmick that is cute for a release or two, but quickly falls into the realm of juvenile cliché. Once can only hope that, now that Nuse have put out a proper full-length, this practice will cease.

Lyrics like "One fish two fish / A dead and a blue fish / How many fish can / These motherfuckers fry" may draw a smile or two, but they certainly don't impress very much. Many of the lyrics sounds downright improvised, such as during "Smoke." There are lots of references to drugs, sex, and violence. Poetry this is not. The mix of "Hungwell" leaves a little to be desired as well. And even the packaging seems a bit low-budget, though I suppose this is to be expected, given the circumstances.

At the same time, Nuse are capable of a surprising variety of sounds. Equal parts Slayer, Biohazard, and 311, these guys can certainly run the gamut of heavy metal. "Only on TV" features some blasting, anthemic 'core, and even some rocking sludge riffs. The aforementioned "Smoke" has some funky bass grooves, creative arrangements, and death growls. "Wrong" has a brutal metal intro, messing around with tempos and time signatures in surprisingly adept ways. The hardcore vocals can become grating after a while, but thankfully are intermitted by cleaner words or harsher growls. There are remarkably fast solos abound throughout "Hungwell," and while guitar solos are one of my least favorite elements of heavy metal, I can still appreciate a good solo when I hear one… and there are several present here. And the drummer is all over the place (in a good way), to say the least.

While listening to "Hungwell," I will find myself either thoroughly enjoying myself or wanting desperately to put in something else. And this dichotomy makes passing judgment upon Nuse difficult. If you like elements of thrash and comedy in your hardcore, by all means give "Hungwell" a try. If you have difficulty looking past mediocre musical elements to find something worthwhile, consider yourself warned. But I will say this: a little more practice and tightening up, and a bit more effort in the song-writing department, and Nuse could be one of the better avant core bands playing. Of course, that still won't fix the band's name, but at least it would be a start.