Helmet
Live and Rare

Not even to the mountains did I go today. It was too important for me to have Live and Rare in my hands; nothing and no one will take the review away from me, precede me on debaser. Since September, when the date of November 26th was announced as the scheduled release date of the album, the countdown began. And today is the day. A unique listening experience, before noon, strictly with headphones to isolate myself, to be overwhelmed by the unique power of Helmet.

Only one flaw, of little importance indeed: the absence of "Unsung" from the setlist, the song that since 1992 I have preferred of all those written by Page Hamilton. But no matter, I forgive you, my friend Page!

Two concerts equally divided:

7 tracks recorded in January 1990 in the historic basement of CBGB in New York

7 tracks recorded in January 1993 at the Big Day Out in Melbourne.

Same mirrored duration: 22 minutes and 11 seconds for both concerts.

They are rookies or almost in the New York City gig; and you can tell for pity's sake! They have only released a few singles and are about to launch that ticking time bomb that is their first full-length Strap It On.

They have been frequenting CBGB for some time, living only 10 minutes from the club. They record the set thanks to the interest of members of Prong (another legendary band). In front of no more than 30 people; with sound quality not the best but who cares...

The lineup is the original one: Hamilton and Mengede on guitars, Bogdan on ultra-compressed bass, and Steiner on the hard and syncopated drums. Nothing else to add apart from Page's gruff voice.

They set up a massive sound wall, with the two guitars always in acidic distortion: the rhythm section is typical of a blast furnace overflowing with tons of molten, pitch-black lead. I need only mention the final three: "Repetition, Sinatra and Rumble". Ten terrifying minutes that hurt, cause anxiety...but so much beauty in these oppressive notes; metronomes marking tempos repeated to exhaustion. Guitars completely stopped, muted as a main characteristic of the Helmet sound. Uncontrolled fury; sonic agitators that make the walls of the dark basement tremble as few other times. Hypnotic catharsis in the final two minutes of "Rumble" where they travel like maniacs at light-speed; it's hard to distinguish the sound of the individual instruments. Everything is perversely confused...

...but I come out of it rejuvenated, believe me.

Things don't change much in the Australian set.

Certainly better sound quality and a "decent" audience in terms of numbers.

They present the second work Meantime (personally their masterpiece).

And here is a single mention: the opening "Ironhead", where everything is more controlled, managed at best. From Page's voice to the perfectly framed sound of the instruments. Mathematical and direct until the end of the track that literally "PAVES" you: 60 seconds that knock me out cold!!

This is my album of 2021; there are no rivals, no comparisons.

Ad Maiora.