Ultraspank - Progress
2000
Epic Records
1. Push
2. Crumble
3. Stuck
4.
Feed
5. Smile
6.
Click
7. Jackass
8. Crack
9. Invite Yourself In
10. Thanks
11. Left
12. Where
Some bands go completely unnoticed and nobody can explain why. ULTRASPANK had everything: a major label deal, extensive touring, and a large underground following. So what the hell happened? They released two remarkable albums over a 3 year period, and quickly broke up afterwards. Damn shame too, as they were one of the greatest bands to explode out of the late 90s.
There have always been two schools of nu-metal to me. One is the typical white boy rapper fronted, shite riff repeating, "fuck you I'm so cool" attitude tripe that dominates the airwaves and makes real metalheads recoil in horror at the mockery they see before them. The other side is no more or less metal than the authentic variety, but is rather just a modern interpretation of the genre, unfairly lumped in with the other nu-metal slop just because the media can find no other way to label them. ULTRASPANK came from this latter type, blending a mix of metal, techno, and just downright catchy music.
The rhythm section is nearly perfect for metal, rarely becoming flashy but never fading to the background either. The sound effects are simple and effectively used. The vocals are incredible, jumping between harsh screaming and soaring clean vocals several times within each track. Pete Murray is one of the most underrated vocalists I've ever come across, sounding equal parts Tom Araya of SLAYER and Simon Lebon of DURAN DURAN, with a highly emotional delivery. The riffs are extraordinary, and the funniest part is that they are nearly perfect for every song, but none really stand out. They are in your face all the time, but somehow remaining subtle. I'm not really sure how to explain it, but they sound so automatic yet never sterile.
The best comparison I could ever think of to describe this band was to FEAR FACTORY. Take away most of the death metal elements and add more catchiness, aggression, and overall variety to the sonic assault, and you get ULTRASPANK. I sorely miss these guys, and probably always will because I do not think their full potential was ever reached. A few of the band members have quit the music scene altogether, and two others are now in LO-PRO (which I just found out about, and promptly ordered). Either way, two marvelous entries to the metal community is better than one, and infinitely better than none obviously.
9/10
NAD
