Methods of Mayhem – Methods of Mayhem

Methods of Mayhem
Artist: Methods of Mayhem
Title: Methods of Mayhem
Label: MCA
Rating: 7/10

After nineteen years of parties, prison, drugs, sex, and rock ‘n’ roll, Tommy Lee has left Motley Crue to start fresh with Methods Of Mayhem. It’s a Kid Rock-goes- hardcore-hybrid that will get lumped into the rap/rock genre but subtly offers more than most bands with that tag today. Lee recruited TiLo, a former member of the band Hed(pe), to write the raps and bring the beats to this project that melds everything from rap, funk, and rock to dub, techno, and hardcore. After one spin, it mechanically sounds better than Kid Rock’s multi-platinum white trash album, and didn’t seem to try so hard to rap and rock all together, instead opting to vary the flow with each tune.

The opening track, “Who The Hell Cares”, has TiLo and Tommy rhyming back and forth on top of a textured layer of trance-hop and drilling guitar work. Snoop Dogg appears on this track, and his presence actually fits in well with the sound Methods Of Mayhem has created. Many of the songs feature guests, including Fred Durst from Limp Bizkit, ‘Lil Kim, and George Clinton all on the first release from the album, “Get Naked”. Kid Rock appears on “New Skin”, which is an anthem of sorts for Tommy and his parting from his hair-metal past. U-God from Wu-Tang stops by for a rhyme, and Filthee Immigrants as well as Scott Kirkland from the Crystal Method also make guest appearances. No matter how much or how little each guest brings to the table, it’s Lee’s presence and musical knack for catchiness that propels each song to individual heights. There is little lacking on this album as far as commercialized trends go, and even though it lags in originality, the album just rocks. It has less of an edge than Limp Bizkit’s Significant Other and more power than Kid Rock’s Devil Without a Cause, thus leaving a finely crafted rock album that lets the masses know Tommy Lee will not just bow out and go away.

He’s more motivated now than ever, and the events of the past couple of years have served to motivate him. Forget the bullshit behind Pamela and Tommy. This is his real voice on what happened, and he didn’t like it. Now that he has rejuvenated his mind and career, Methods of Mayhem may be the new method for Tommy’s mayhem. And it looks like his life is only getting better.

+ rick hinkson


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