The Melvins–Hold It In (Released 14/10/2014 via Ipecac Records)

October 14th will see the Melvins release their new album, titled ‘Hold It In’, via their long time home Ipecac Records. Buzz may have been busy with a solo record and tour, and Dale has been touring with OFF! but they’ve returned to the day job and a new record brings a new line up and the band is back to being a four piece. Gone is founding member Mike Dillard, who played drums on last years Tres Cabrones, Crover returns to the drum stool while Paul Leary and JD Pinkus from The Butthole Surfers are welcomed into the fold on guitar and bass respectively. Osborne was understandably excited to work with friends and members of a band as legendary as his own, “Paul is one of the best guitar players I have ever heard and Pinkus has an outside the box type of approach to both guitar and bass that you just have to let it  ride. I can’t believe this actually happened. I’m thrilled”.

‘Hold It In’ was recorded earlier in the year during multiple sessions in Los Angles and Austin; and, as of the time of writing, no information has been released on who produced the sessions. Ipecac are handling the album release while old friends at Amphetamine Reptile are rumoured (by Punknews.org) to be releasing a 7-inch single in support of the album. The Melvins have a long history with Amp Rep and the label released a split Melvins / Butthole Surfers 12-inch back in 2012 as part of the Sugar Daddy series of live releases.

‘Hold It In’ begins strongly with a typically sludgey noise rock affair ‘Bride of Crankenstein’ it’s an excellent, hard hitting, start to the album. A drastic left turn is made for the second track ‘You Can Make Me Wait’ which sees the band take a convincing stab at pop rock and is overlaid with ethereal dreamy vocals; it works surprisingly well. ‘Brass Cupcake’ starts as a ruckus punk rock track before turning back into a classic Melvins affair halfway through. ‘Onions Make Milk Taste Bad’ harks back to the Atlantic years and would fit nicely either on Stag or Stoner Witch.

‘Bride of Crankenstein’

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‘Hold It In’ is another great Melvins album, but it took me a couple of listens for me to truly appreciate it; most likely because it’s a bit all over the place, mixing up a melting pot of styles. Some of this is likely due to the influence of Pinkus and Leary and they keep it reined in and fairly focused; but it does mean there are new ideas and sounds to discover from a band that has over 20 albums to their name. Hold It In comes across as an album full of opposites as every song sounds markedly different from the one that precedes it. ‘Nine Yards’ is 2 minutes 30 seconds of squealing guitar and noise rock ferocity and is followed by 7 minutes of mid paced riffing, xylophone, and an epic build up and crescendo with a drawn out howling guitar solo.

The Leary penned ‘I Get Along (Hollow Moon)’ jangles its way through 2 and a half minutes of country influenced, cow-poked melody and is in turn followed by the 80’s metal-esque lead riff and vocal melodies of ‘Piss Pisstoferson’. Hold It In certainly keeps the listener on their toes then and is another fine addition to the Melvins’ catalogue. 7.8/10.
Ian Weiss

Our American readers can see the band on tour on the following dates:

October 15 Sacramento, CA Assembly

October 17 Bellingham, WA Wild Buffalo House of Music

October 18 Seattle, WA The Showbox

October 19 Portland, OR Roseland Theater

October 21 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall

October 22 San Luis Obispo, CA SLO Brewing

will see the Melvins release their new album, titled Hold It In, via

October 23 Los Angeles, CA The Troubadour

October 24 San Diego, CA The Casbah

October 25 Phoenix, AZ The Crescent Ballroom

October 26 Albuquerque, NM The Launchpad

October 28 Dallas, TX Trees

October 29 Austin, TX Mohawk

October 30 Houston, TX Warehouse Live – Studio

October 31 New Orleans, LA Voodoo Fest

November 1 Pensacola, FL Vinyl Music Hall

November 2 Gainesville, FL The Wooly

November 3 Jacksonville, FL Jack Rabbit’s

November 4 Orlando, FL The Social

November 5 Ft. Lauderdale, FL The Culture Room

November 6 Tampa, FL Orpheum Theater

November 8 Atlanta, GA The Loft at Center Stage

November 9 Birmingham, AL Zydeco