AMMONIA
Mint 400 (Murmur)
Once in a while, one should reflect upon the fact that not only have way too many rock albums been made since the beginning of time--when was the last time you dirtied your digits fingering endless racks of classical cut-outs?--but also that way too many rock albums get made every year. Ammonia give rise to such reflections not because their retooled heavy metal has no appeal--when was the last time you listened to an album of retooled heavy metal with no appeal (except for Candlebox, I mean)?--but because bands should only retool heavy metal if they have improvements to make. Instead of improvements, this trio from the land of Silverchair putty over the contours of their streamlined hooks until nothing sharp or prickly remains. "Ah," you argue, "but Ammonia aren't heavy-metal. They're alternative." And if by "alternative" you mean "sloppy metal," you're right. But once in a while, you should reflect upon the fact that way too many sloppy-metal albums get made these days, and then upon the fact that not even after a month of regular exposure to these twelve songs can you remember how one of them goes.
Looking back, I think this album has actually aged pretty well. I never listened to it in its entirety back in the day, but it definitely emits that nostalgic familiarity of the '90s in a way that the stuff that was overplayed could never do.
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