High Times (2004)
Last updated on January 6, 2010
Originally published by High Times on 6 October 2004
by Paul Reyes
The ’90s was a period of decadence in music, then captured by the onslaught of grunge, cheesy rock bands and awful pop music. With blistering, distorted guitars, odd drum timing, deep rhythmic bass lines molded together by melodic to scolding vocals, true innovators of an unidentifiable sound and image hid beneath the mainstream. This sounds to be a familiar formula for many bands’ successes, Helmet were responsible for it all. I spoke with a modest Page Hamilton, the band’s founding and remaining original member, who had started the band through a Village Voice ad. Through high times and hard times, he’s not ashamed of anything the band has ever done and is ready to write more Helmet records. Hamilton discussed old and the newly reformed band and the newest upcoming release, Size Matters, which recently hit shelves.
The year 1991 may have been groundbreaking for many bands, Metallica’s Black album, Nirvana’s Nevermind, and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Blood Sugar Sex Magik but Helmet’s Strap It On was groundbreaking for the underground—angry, frustrated and full of intensity. While this unpolished record is often overlooked, what you get to hear is a sign of the beginning of intelligent alt-rock metal, if you can call it that. They didn’t have a distinguished formula and that was their formula for success. The album’s highlights, “Sinatra” and “Repetition,” shattered ear drums and left a steady ringing for their next major label debut.
High expectations for Helmet’s major label debut, Meantime, on Interscope Records, never hit its peak. Released in 1992, this record is influential in the hard music you hear today. Although “Unsung” is probably the only commercial track on the album, “Iron Head, “Turned Out,” and “In The Meantime” are lead pipes to your skull. The path that nu metal pioneers Deftones and Korn led was paved by Helmet. Meantime’s stop and go rhythms, John Stanier’s echoing snare and the classically-taught guitar and vocals of Page Hamilton left listeners glorified and trampled. In the chorus on “Turned Out,” “…Downtown Julie Brown,” which he cannot pinpoint why, Hamilton states abstractness towards the macho testosterone that he feels he is so unlike the spitting image of and raged against the thick-headed violent attitude from men. Picking out lyrics from “In The Meantime,” “Earth tone suits you, so give it a smile,” Hamilton got the idea from looking at a magazine at the dentist’s office. The odd-timed music and abstract lyrics were unlike anything present at that time. With videos for “Unsung,” “In The Meantime” and “Iron Head,” their appearance befuddled viewers because they didn’t portray the image that their peers did. They weren’t the longhaired, rock and roll types. They proved image had no relation to their musical success. Meantime reached gold certification and left Helmet’s musical direction wide open.
Betty, released in 1994, had Stanier’s hard, drum-echoed sound of Meantime from songs “Milquetoast” and “Speechless” and the creative influence of Hamilton through songs like “Sam Hell” and the odd video-hit, “Biscuits For Smut.” With guitarist Peter Mengede departing, Hamilton’s influence as songwriter led to all guitar duties on Betty. Feeling no pressure from the record label, he fondly remembers Stanier and Bogdan’s contributions and was influenced by blues when recording. Not a below average record by all means, but the steam off Meantime cleared.
Following a delay after Betty, Helmet returned with Aftertaste to a stale fol- lowing in 1997. Those who gave it a chance found it just as promising and arguably the best release to date. The pace took an obvious lean towards a more melodic sound but came off just as strong. The two minute and 31 second song, “Birth Defect,” and opener, “Pure,” bite hard with no remorse. The album highlights, “Driving Nowhere” and “Broadcast Emotion,” ultimately complete the album with more melodic tone and vocals. After a brief tour, the band parted ways. Having been together since 1989, original members Henry Bogdan, John Stanier and Hamilton had gone through the common trials of fatigue, ego and money issues. “There isn’t much behind it all. They left the band,” Hamilton stated. “It was difficult being the primary songwriter, there is less expression for the band and some did not like the direc- tion we were going in.” On the topic of his former band mates, he still has high regards for them and would have liked to continue Helmet with them, however, Bogdan has not picked up a bass since he left the band and Stanier is busy with his projects, Tomahawk (with Mike Patton) and Battles. Chris Traynor, who had joined on the tour of Aftertaste, approached Stanier to reunite the band. Hamilton even went far enough to say, “Stanier is one of the best drummers in the world, God bless him.”
Helmet’s return began with Jimmy Iovine of Interscope Records convinc- ing Hamilton that Helmet was his band. He never thought about his work as impacting music in a way that people would cite him as an influence or would cover his songs. Hamilton had just moved out to Los Angeles and didn’t feel quite comfortable yet and through a developing friendship with John Tempesta (Testament and White Zombie), they began jamming together.
On questioning the experience and recognition by each member, he feels that it is great working with like-minded musicians and appreciates the opportunity. The end result, Size Matters, focuses on a straightforward lyrical approach and a heavy sound not lost. Hamilton contributed a lot of effort and you can see it in the lyrics, style and his new vocal approach. “I was using my voice as a rhythmic instrument, now I appreciate clarity.” A lot of hard times are visible through sincere genuine lyrics, musical adaptation and frustration. If you look closely, Hamilton uses “darlin’” and “darling” in the lyrics. He takes the song, “See You Dead,” as an over-the-top narrative based on a relationship experience he feels we have all felt at a vulnerable state.
Size Matters is a two-sided coin, representing continuation and growth from Aftertaste and a new hard approach he sound from Meantime never treaded. The appeal of this record shows no loss of drive. Hamilton may not have his former band; but as you can understand, his driving forces are not only perfection in his music and clarity in his lyrics, but perfection and clarity in his personal life.