Don’t say The Melvins never gave you anything for free. In advance of their upcoming studio album (Freak Puke is due on June 5th), The Melvins are giving away an EP of originals entitled The Bulls and the Bees over at Scion a/v. It’s the kind of EP that fans would gladly pay for given how diverse the thing is.
Beginning with the sonic sludge of “The War On Wisdom” (and featuring miniature versions of The Melvins in the video, as seen below), The Bulls and the Bees takes fans back to the Houdini/Stoner Witch-era before going to explosive new areas. Experimental and The Melvins are synonymous terms here as the middle of TBATB is just full of change for The Melvins. The seven minute “We Are Doomed” is epic. Beginning with two minutes of instrumental goodness, King Buzzo then chimes in with a pleasantly melodic vocal amidst the murk of Jarred Warren’s bass combined with Buzzo’s guitar. Cue some time changes and incredible drum duels by Dale Crover and Coady Willis and “We Are Doomed” is damn near perfect.
The fuzzed out “Friends Before Larry” is next and a great segue into the standout “A Really Long Wait”. As long as I’ve been a fan, I’ve never heard a Melvins song quite like this one. Its ghostly vocals compliment the spooky string section perfectly making it the most eerie song The Melvins have ever put out.
The Bulls and the Bees is also fans last chance to hear the current line-up of The Melvins together as Freak Puke sees King Buzzo and Dale Crover recording as a three-piece once again with Mr. Bungle’s Trevor Dunn rounding out the group.
The Melvins The Bulls and the Bees is available for free right here.
Grade: A