This here is a worthwhile numetal album, chock-full of interludes and long songs. If you've heard 'Dig,' and think you know MuDvAyNe, you're wrong, because no other song is like 'Dig' on this album. Every song is different. To prove that, let me go over the tracks:

Monolith (?/10): This is a pretty cool introduction with some futuristic sound effects and someone giving a freaky speach about evolution. Very entertaining to listen to.

Dig (9/10): I'm well aware that this is a great song, I just don't find myself listening to this song very much. The other songs on the album are a little better than this, I often skip it. Good song, though.

Internal Primates Forever (10/10): Outstanding. Very upbeat, and heavy, Ryknow rocks here! I love the call-and-response in here. Kud rules all!

-1 (10/10): This song is softer than most of the rest, and it really shows Kud's lyrical talents, it is very fun to listen to. The chorus is absolutely brutal, though.

Death Blooms (11/10): I bought the album for this song. It is heavy, melodic, heavy, and then melodic. There are sort of two choruses here, I like the first one better. The end is cool, too.

Golden Ratio (?/10): We have again another filler, this one is a little mellower than Monolith. It connects Death Blooms and Cradle directly.

Cradle (10/10): Pretty good for what it is, it is VERY heavy. It took me awhile to like this song, but once I did, I appreciated its formula: Soft, loud, soft, etc.

Nothing To Gein (10/10): This is a pretty emotional song, it is very heavy, it is also recorded in a magnificent way. This is a standout.

Mutatis Mutandis (?/10): Interlude, just sound effects.

Everything and Nothing (9/10): Pretty good, not really a standout. Kinda heavy, honerable mention.

Severed (10/10): There are so many songs called Severed, by Kittie, Chimaira, Crossbreed, etc., and this is by far the best of those titles. Very emotional, pretty heavy, a major standout.

Recombat Resurgence (?/10): Just like Mutatis Mutandis, pretty much.

Prod (11/10): This is tied for Best Song on the album with Death Blooms. You see, I'm a Tool fan ;-)

Pharmaecopia (10/10): This song caught my attention, mind you, when I first heard it. It should catch everyone's attention. Listen to the lyrics. Let's see Limp Bizkit do something like that...

Under My Skin (11/10): POWERFUL! HEAVY! LOUD! Those are some words I'd use to describe (not to mention vulgar...)

(K)now (F)orever (10/10): The most creative song on this album, it lasts for just over 7 minutes, and I always listen to the whole thing through. It just makes me appreciate MuDvAyNe more than I already do, this is a standout. Probably my second or third favorite song by MuDvAyNe, or on this entire album. LISTEN TO IT...NOW!

Lethal Dosage (?/10): INTERLUDE OUTRODUCTION, pretty strange.

There you have it. A great numetal package. Other albums to check out:
Tool-Aenima (if you like Prod)
Tool-Undertow (if you like Prod)
Slipknot-Slipknot
Slipknot-IOWA
MuDvAyNe-BOATTE and EOATTC (but be warned, this is better.

Thank you for reading! :-)
P.s.: See that 'Yes' button?

To many people, progressive music and "numetal", as it is often called, are polar opposites, and could not possibly go together. One is a simple, brutish, and often sloppy form of music, while the other puts great emphasis on spot-on technical proficiency, and more sophisticated song structures. To mix them is nearly paradoxical. And yet, what we have here is just that, a hybrid of these two styles, and they go together so remarkably well that you wonder how you could have ever concluded otherwise.

I speak of course of Mudvayne, a band with a penchant for crushing, "aggro" riffs, combined with complexity and eclecticism that helps them to stand out from the herd. Perhaps referring to numetal as simple or sloppy music isn't so fair, especially when this band is so far from each of those things. Guitarist Greg Tribbet is a groove demon, full of powerful complex riffage, and some nice melodic arpeggios to mix it up. Bassist Ryan Martinie's gurgling basslines complement the heaviness perfectly, and add a nice funk flavor to it all. Combined with Matt McDonough's furious polyrhythmic drumming, you've got a rhythm section that's nothing short of lethal. Fronting it all is the psychotic Chad Gray. At first listen, he may seem like little more than your average angry numetal vocalist, but keep listening. His voice is constantly shifting in dynamics (not unlike the music itself), and there seems to be a kind of rhythmic precision to his delivery. He's not just barking at random. Sonically, he is equal parts Mike Patton and Phil Anselmo (with a bit of Maynard for good measure), but his style is all his own.

Many may know this band by the opening track, "Dig", and while it is a great opener, it's not at all a good indication of what this band sounds like. It is shorter, and more to the point than anything else on the album. Listen to the seamless heavy to soft dynamics of "Death Blooms" or "-1", or the wild rhythm changes of "Cradle", or the crazy funk-inspired interlude of "Nothing to Gein". "Severed" and "Prod" are a bit softer overall, but still have their fair share of heaviness and complexity. "Under My Skin" has a short rap interlude, which is very well done. It fits perfectly within the flow of the song, and Chad never misses a mark. Reminds me of Candiria, sort of.

For a long time, I debated whether or not to buy this album, because I wasn't sure whether or not it was worth it, and when I finally did get it, I hated myself for not buying it sooner. Anyone who dismisses this as simply a one-dimensional, run of the mill numetal band is really missing out on something great. Every track on this CD is exceptional, and highly addictive. This is one of those rare bands that both prog and numetal fans alike can enjoy (even Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci is a fan). If you approach this with an open mind, there's a very good chance you'll enjoy it, so give it a spin. And, if you like this, I also recommend Candiria's "300 Percent Density", to hear this sound taken one step further.

Also, ignore any and all comparisons to Slipknot. Not only do they make Slipknot look ridiculous in every way, but they don't really sound anything alike. Now stop reading and BUY, you fools!

Here we are in the year 2000, with scores of nu-metal bands appearing everywhere. I had been somewhat disappointed by most of these releases, and figured Mudvayne was just another disappointment. I was far from right.

L.D. 50 is quite simply the best cd I have bought this year. The cd kicks off with Dig, the heaviest song on the album, and moves into more moodier and often times more morbid territory. The drummer for the band is nothing short of phenomenal, and the bassist is one of the best Ive heard, being a "bottom feeder" as well. The most impressive is singer Kud, who goes from Tool-esque melodies to tortured screams in a split second. The lyrics vary in topic, from non-conformity, drug abuse, and some various morbid writings, such as Nothing to Gein, written about notorious killer Ed Gein.

On a final note, many people compare this to the likes of Slipknot. While Slipknot is one of my favorite bands of all time,the only resemblance I know between these bands is the fact that they toured together. The band that closest resembles these guys would be Tool, yet there is not a whole lot of similarity at a closer comparison. This band is very unique and should not be categorized as yet another Slipknot ripoff.Don't be fooled into thinking this is a Knot clone, its much more, and better, than you could think. All in all, worth every damn penny.

Relatively simplistic guitar riffs, occasionally whiney vocals, and tight, produced sound may help L.D. 50 appear, at first blush, just another nu-metal band, a la pop rockers Slipknot and Korn. Closer inspection reveals just the opposite: Mudvayne's compositions have an intellectual aspect that simply can't be appreciated without concious attention, and subtleties that can easily be lost at low volumes, or through poor speakers.

Perhaps the most attractive element of the album is the unusual role bassist Ryan Martinie plays; The ensemble's only guitarist, Greg Tribbett, plays more rythm than lead, to Martinie's quicker, far more complex, embellished bass line. It's easy to completely miss out on his contribution at first, especially with inferior stereo equipment, or an untrained ear.

Another unique aspect of L.D. 50's sound is the use of highly unusual time signatures, exemplified by Nothing to Gein's 11/8 meter. Simply put, there's nothing at all "Cookie-cutter" about mudvayne; just listen a little harder!

Mudvayne are quickly boxed in with the likes of fellow metallers Slipknot, Disturbed, etc. In truth, Mudvayne can be compared to no one. The technical ability these musicians have with their instruments is nothing short of amazing. The drumming throughout the record is phenomenal...quick time and tempo changes, and crazy off the wall beats and fills flow through the album. The bass player is nothing short of brilliant. Picture a 1970's funk bass player crossed with the ecentricity of Les Claypool. The guitar riffs are heavy and percussive and really drive the song. And the lyrics and vocals are great. The singer really comes across as very personal in his lyrics and his vocal delivery is insane. His screams send chills down your spine, his singing is beautiful, and he spits out his lines in so many different tempos...you were to think they have 2 singers. Overall, the album is fantastic. While there are some songs that seem to be just album fillers (like the numerous interludes that occur between songs) it really doesnt soften the impact that this album has made. It is truly a remarkable record that cannot be defined into one category except for Undescribable Mayhem in Music.