For a pre-Grunge music period in the early nineties when commercial "Hair Metal" was brought forth with little experimentation, there were many Alternative Rock/Metal crossover bands that were able to fulfill the listening needs of the hardcore Metalheads and college radio fans alike. Like many Alternative/Metal crossover bands like The Rollins Band, Jane's Addiction, and Ministry,
Faith No More was another breath of fresh air within the whole mainstream hangover of "Hair Metal," and were able to capitalize on their own sound rather than copulating upon commercial demands.
Few bands sounded like them before them and there haven't been many bands that have sounded like them since. Mixing Punk, Funk, Frank Zappa experimentation and a whole heaping of Thrash Metal,
Faith No More was able to become more or less a staple in the whole mainstream in general, with success on MTV's Headbanger's Ball, 120 Minutes (a now defunct alternative rock video show), as well as regular rotation on commercial radio; all of this caused band to rise to huge, but somewhat brief success. VH1 even did a special about the 100 greatest "one hit wonders" of all time and the track "Epic" was among them. But wait, although it their only mega hit, they had more than just one hit, at least among the whole music community, even long after their only top 20 success.
Unlike the "Who Cares A lot?" compilation released a few years ago with the first disc being hits and the second being B-sides, this is a single disc anthology that covers all the bases that is a good start for the casual fan.
Starting out in the late 1980's as a Punk/Thrash band with original vocalist Chuck Mosely,
Faith No More was more of an underground entity that was mainly heard among the whole college radio scene with the occasional airplay on Metal radio, spawning the anthem-like cut "We Care A lot." It would not be until the release of "The Real Thing" when Mike Patton would replace Mosely on vocals and the band would find their own place and continue to deliver their own sound. With the album literally coming out of nowhere (no pun intended) it was clear at this point that this band was going to take a turn for the best. Spawning the hits "Epic," "Falling to Pieces," and "From out of Nowhere" (which was covered by
Helloween on their "Metal Jukebox" album), "The Real Thing" had the mix of Jim Martin's guitar work behind layers of keyboards and funkified bass lines that stood out among Patton's singing and occasional rapping. The next record "Angel Dust" would follow up with the avant-garde "Midlife Crisis" and the bizarre pop cut "A Small Victory"
Many other successful albums followed but the sound would get more experimental. They would also have success with covers such as the Commodore's slow jam "Easy" and Black Sabbath's "War Pigs." Post
Faith No More efforts by band members success would spin off several side projects.
Regardless of the Alternative Rock/Metal crossover success of the band, Metalheads and music fans alike will tell you that
Faith No More did it the right way, while setting the standard for experimentation. Unfortunately many other bands and the record industry alike did not follow it.
Faith No More were at the right place and the right time for acknowledgement, but had they come out in the middle of the grunge period, they might not have been so successful due to their upbeat and more brighter sound, rather than the heroin driven grunge and nu-metal that plagued most of the nineties. Although nearly forgotten after their mainstream status, and sadly buried underneath the whole plethora of alternative one hit wonder, grunge, and sappy pop bands in the nineties,
Faith No More continues to be highly respected by fans for their dedication to artistry, for which the band still remains essentially influential.
Written by
Hashman Wednesday, June 18, 2003
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