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Mezzanine, American Burnout: Sometimes the Treasure is Best Left Buried

You ever have one of those records that you always meant to check out and then finally did and, well, meh?

It is a pretty cool cover...That’s about where I’m at with Mezzanine‘s 2004 debut, American Burnout. The Georgia trio came to my attention sometime around the album’s release and have been residing in my subconscious ever since. Maybe it was the rabid anti-American sentiment I was feeling, what with the (relative to now) newness of all those wars. Maybe it was some review I read. Who knows.

But in my latest All that is Heavy excursion, I decided it was finally time to solve the mystery and find out what American Burnout sounded like. It’s got a cool enough cover, and I think five years after the fact qualifies as “better late than never.” So I added it to the cart and placed the order, but now that I finally have the record, I feel like maybe I was better off knowing.

Before, it was easy to envision it as the best thing ever, something I was really missing out on. Now I know it’s just another generic American stoner metal record. Not awful, but not at all necessary.

Mezzanine doesn’t suck. If nothing else, they have a song called, “This is the Zodiac Speaking,” though unfortunately it’s instrumental. They take America’s Volume Dealer-era C.O.C. (an underrated album as far as songwriting goes) and dirty it up some with Wiseblood‘s politics, but hey, I already own both those records. This could be way worse, but it could be way more original too. As Orange Goblin says, “Some you win, some you lose.”

Hey Mezzanine‘s American Burnout, hope you like sitting on my shelf. You’ll be between Meshuggah and Michio Kurihara, so at least there’s good company.

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One Response to “Mezzanine, American Burnout: Sometimes the Treasure is Best Left Buried”

  1. MP Gaffer says:

    Sorry but you couldn’t be more wrong on this album. American Burnout, This is the Zodiac Speaking, Write Your Name in Dust, & Dig a Hole are top drawer. Guitar/amp tone in Dig a Hole & Write Your Name in Dust – growling tube screamer, so heavy & brutal. Great vocals, fits right in. Snare drum tuned to fit. Sounds like Drop C tuning on guitar. This album is all about heavy growling tone. TIGS?

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