You have to admire the bravura of a band that names itself after a crustacean’s poop chute. Mudvayne has experimented with various Metal concepts since their 1996 inception in Peoria, Ill., beginning as a Rap Metal outfit before switching to a more traditional Metal direction for their 1998 debut demo, Kill, I Oughtta. The quartet’s fortunes rose when buzz over the band’s appearances at the Original Hard Rock Music Showcase and subsequent Shredfest, which attracted acclaimed manager Chuck Toler. Toler signed Mudvayne and scored the band their Epic label contract.
Mudvayne’s debut album, 2000’s L.D. 50, spawned the single “Dig,” which earned them the inaugural MTV2 award in 2001. At this point, Mudvayne was working a GWAR angle, utilizing wildly inventive costuming, make-up and bizarre pseudonyms, which morphed into an alien motif with 2002’s The End of All Things to Come.
Mudvayne’s new album was set to begin last summer but was postponed due to the schedule of frontman Chad Gray and guitarist Greg Tribbett’s side project, Hellyeah. The New Game was finally released in October, with an old-school Rock vibe underpinning its hooky, melodic Metal. It’s been reported that the band already has another album nearly completed and slated for release next summer.They play Bogarts with 10 Years and Snot.
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This article appears in Nov 26 – Dec 2, 2008.