Helmet is one of the most underrated yet influential bands of all time. They played an important role in shaping up alternative metal & nu metal genre.
One of my favourite ever bands. I always loved the fact that they didn't look like metallers, you could pass them in the street and never guess they were metal musicians, yet their ferocious, abrasive sound blew the likes of Metallica off any stage.
YES! Meantime and Betty are timeless bangers. Most people tend to qualify Meantime as their masterpiece, but I like Betty even more. Especially the somewhat cleaner production. I also liked Aftertaste, the one after this one. Less aggressive, more melodies, but still very good. Those are my favorite three😎
@@palazzo1113 Betty is also the album where headbanging groove and melody is perfectly balanced. And my favorite song, I Know, with that phenomenal drum intro is on that album. Still banging my head on that song, I'll turn 45in April, when that unmatched groove finds its way through the speakers of my car.
There's a handful of post-hardcore, noise-rock type bands from NYC at this time that you should also check out if you're feeling Helmet. These include Orange 9mm, Quicksand, Unsane, Cop Shoot Cop, Foetus (anything by JG Thirlwell actually).
@@mollyesanborn Self titled Unsane has the same producer like Strap It On. But that album is really odd and strange. You cant understand the vocals, due to how distorted they are. The album is infamous for the album cover as well.
Oh my god you’re awesome, I love helmet and I’ve been wanting someone to listen to some full albums on UA-cam!! Just wait for Meantime, that shit is fire, Betty is even better, so get ready.
It's really cool seeing Helmet get some love, they're one of my favorite bands. This album is a little rough around the edges but it's the blueprint for their later stuff. Meantime, Betty and Aftertaste are amazing albums, their influence on Rock and Metal can't be overstated. Can't wait to see what you think of Meantime!
It's absolutely clear listening to Strap It On that helmet had a big influence on metal bands that followed them. Can't wait to hear more of their albums now!
Helmet is my all-time favorite band! I really hope you continue listening to and reviewing their music! Thank you for bringing attention to amazing bands like them!
Those fist three Helmet albums are incredible. Them: Drive Like Jehu, Fugazi and Unwound changed the way I viewed music in the 90's. Love seeing the reviews.
Helmet is one of my favorite bands. Their riffs are awesome and unconventional. The music is very rhythmic, like a machine, it just drives. They were definitely an influence on my band.
These guys don't get enough recognition despite having a massive influence on some of the most important bands to emerge in the 90s and 2000s (Pantera, Nine Inch Nails, Korn, Mastodon, System of a Down, Tool, etc.) I hope you continue with their discography.
I'll definitely plan on some more Helmet videos, I really want to hear how their sound progresses on their next few albums. And yeah that influence is very apparent listening to Helmet, I can tell they were a very pioneering band for acts that followed them.
This album is a masterpiece. I prefer this one over Meantime. I love how dusty and garage-like it sounds. Wharton Tiers is well known for his unpolished sound, the first Unsane album is same with the demo-like quality. Blacktop has one of my favorite grooves in the chorus. "Walk on top. You run beneath!" Not to mention that phenomenal intro guitar riff, oh yeah. This album has almost this sludgy edge. I love how raw and isolated everything sounds.
Helmet and Faith No More paved the way for the entire Alternative Metal spectrum, similar to what The Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana did. 'Betty' is a favourite one and Aftertaste has one of their greatest songs, called Pure, 1st track on the album. You're doing great, nice picks ! 😶🌫
Helmet and Hum were duking it out in the 90s for me. Their Betty album might be my fave. I think the Deftones took the best of both, sprinkled in a little Smashing Pumpkins and came out delicious.
Somehow I’ve only just seen this. I was BIG into Helmet around the time I was at uni and played all their albums to death. I always loved how they were both heavy and minimal at once. A very important band that set the stage for the alternative metal that was to come. Thank you once again for taking the road less traveled with your reactions. 😊
You need to react to this album called Mirrored by this band called Battles, it came out in 2007 and sounds like it was made in 2097. It's fantastic and the drummer from Helmet also plays in this band.
I always go see this band whenever they tour. Who wouldn't. Can't believe I missed this reaction 'til now. Doing well on my fave bands, so far. Just KILLING JOKE and THERAPY? next then. As people have said previously, do the next three albums from Helmet. Oh yeah.
I have been watching your reviews for a few months, but the ones I enjoy most are the ones you do for records of the 90s (at this stage I was adolescent) I am excited to see how the sound is still talking intact and connects the same emotions in young people. You do a good job !
Man the 90's really were a great decade for music. A lot of my favorite albums that I've been introduced to through this channel were released in the 90's. Seems like a time period where a lot of artists were putting a ton of emotion into their music.
I can’t wait to watch this, I glad you started with my favourite Helmet album. I still listen to this one pretty frequently, especially compared to a lot of the music from back then that I barely listen to anymore.
I literally just listened to this record! This record just is so unique and the rawness is incredible. The guitar solo's on this are a beautiful trainwreck of chaos! Their singer/guitarist is a Jazz guitar major believe it or not! But with the musicality of the band it's not surprising
When i saw the title I thought it was the song Strap Me In by The Cars, I know you do album reviews but if you ever review single tracks I recommend that one it's so good!
Dang, this video flew by so fast! I love this channel, it's so varied. I suggest Streetcleaner by Godflesh or a Gojira album for the future. Thanks, Molly.
Glad you're enjoying the channel! I've got Godflesh on my list of bands to check out, I know several others have suggested them as well. And I've already heard Gojira, I did an album ranking video for them a while back on my channel if you're interested :)
@@mollyesanborn "Streetcleaner"'s a piece of work, it's rightly considered a seminal album... might be a challenging piece of work - Ministry are a "classic" industrial band, but Godflesh are... intense. It's "named" after Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper. Yorkshire police nicknamed him The Streetcleaner because his victims were mostly prostitutes - classy move there on the part of Yorkshire Police :/ For me, "Streetcleaner" an full of rage and despair - well worth a listen for the darker side of industrial.
As a huge fan of Helmet and Post-Hardcore, this was my gateway into heavier music in the early 90s. This band has influenced so many across different genres of music. If you like them you may want to also check out Quicksand, Rivals Schools, Orange 9mm, Into Another, and HANDSOME which was a supergroup that Helmet guitarist Peter Mengede formed with members of Quicksand, Cro-Mags, and Murphys Law.
Helmet is my absolute top favorite band. Just nothing like them during my teens in the 90s or now. I still enjoy every album start to finish no matter how many time I listen. Nice choice!!
I actually first heard Helmet through the "Saw III" soundtrack. They have a song called "Monochrome" on there, and it's more of a melodic song. As I worked my way back through their albums I was surprised to hear how raw and aggressive their music is. Helmet's is definitely bare bones, but I really enjoy how in-your-face their music is.
Yeah this first album is very bare bones, I kinda love that quality to their style though. I'm curious to hear how their style will evolve on their subsequent records.
I remember when this came out. I was deep into the Thrash, Death Metal and Industrial scenes. Helmet had a new kind of thing going on, but it was hard and heavy. So I make for the first live show I can get to. I'm in the audience, the lights go down and these dudes with short hair wearing Polo shirts come out on stage and pick up the instruments. I'm thinking, "Boy those guys look clean cut for roadies." Then they ripped into a killer a set and I realized they weren't roadies at all. I had been been expecting the usual long hair, concert shirts and ripped jeans, not some guys who looked like they were on the way to a fraternity house. Page Hamilton routinely mocked the audience and himself in his humor that was equal parts ironic and acerbic. I saw these guys a lot of times after that. Great band and they always delivered live.
Love this video! Not related to any of the bands you've covered on your channel, but I would love to hear your thoughts on The Jesus Lizard band, specially their first two albums.
helmet was one of my favorite bands a few years back, and an album like Betty became an all-time favorite with my ratings. The hype has faded a bit but it's still one of my favs albums, Betty. Here on Strap It On the band continues to battle between noise rock and post hardcore, but then on the next album Meantime it fully develops as a post hc/alternative metal band (with some jazz elements) Other 90s alternative bands you should check out are Prong, Unsane, Godflesh... if you want to continue with noise, post-hc industrial alt metal great reaction again Molly !!
I can't wait to hear both Meantime and Betty and hear how their sound continues to develop. Post hardcore with jazz elements sounds pretty dope! And I'll be sure that Prong and Unsane are on my list, I know that Godflesh has been suggested quite a bit. I'll have to check them out.
Oh yeah. So happy you've started a Helmet discography. There second and third album is sooooooo good.. Enjoy the journey. There drummer is so underrated. Great reaction
Just giving a drop in and requesting a Dog Fashion Disco album. I haven't tried in a while. Figured it was worth a shot...lol...I'll keep watching and trying every once in a while. I still love the reactions.
A lot of people are gonna mention the meantime-aftertaste era but I'm excited for you to hear size matters and monochrome, maybe my two favorite helmet albums. A more nu-metal sound especially on size matters but I think they pull off that sound perfectly, and they still keep a lot of the aggression from their earlier stuff. The only thing I'd say is noticeably not as interesting tho are the drums, as they no longer had John Stanier on drums post-aftertaste (or really any of the og members expect page hamilton, but drums are where you notice the differences the most imo)
Yesss! Such a great band, this album is their rawest; Deftones do a great cover of Sinatra from this album. You must check out Unsane, The Jesus Lizard, Prong, Fudge Tunnel and Godflesh. Helmet rule, those first 3 albums especially are masterworks in angular noise rock.
I love the raw sound of Strap It On and am really excited to hear how their sound and musical style will evolve across their discography. Sounds like I'm in for a treat with Meantime and Betty. And thanks for the band suggestions, I'll be sure all of those are on my list :)
Hey Molly, idk if you heard of Alcest but they are a really awesome blackgaze band and I think that you will really love them. I would definitely start with Souvenirs D'un Autre Monde, an absolutely beautiful album, and would love to see a reaction to it as I feel it needs more love from the reactors here on youtube.
Big influence on some of the nu metal bands, Meantime and Betty are awesome albums. Paige Hamilton - guitar/vocals went on to play for Bowie for a time.
Hi, Molly. Glad your getting to do some reviews on HELMET. Ive seen some other people already suggest their album "Betty" I agree whole hearted with them. That album is one of the best alternative rock records recorded, enjoy!
You've definitely got the do "Betty" by Helmet, it'll make a lot of other records you've responded to "make sense" - it's probably their best mix of recording quality + songwriting. Might I suggest Refused "The Shape of Punk To Come"... you will not be sorry, I promise ;)
Such a good album! Very oldschool too, it's amazing how the genre developed until now. You should listen to "Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic" by The Ocean, highly recommended!
This is one of those albums I grew up with, I still remember going to the music store and thinking "Well that looks like a good album" I had not heard any of the songs on it I just bought it. Back then it was a lot of skateboarding and if I stayed home sick on occasion from school? This would be one of those albums I would listen to. My fave tracks were of course "Bad Mood" "Blacktop" "Distracted" "Rude" again it was one of those albums where I did not like every song just some of the songs. Like many in the comments yea I agree Helmet is one of those bands that is pretty good. I think I remember I was making a hot pocket in the microwave and watching it turn round and around in the microwave and listening to "Bad Mood" at the same time 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Been waiting this one for weeks haha glad you finally listened to it, knew you were gonna love them it's a great band with more than great musicians, and if you liked the debut you are gonna absolulety love their next 3 albums! The next 2 are just masterpieces no doubt, and Aftertaste its a great album, it just doesn't get enough attention because Meantime and Betty are so so fucking good
I know, Helmet is a band that I've been wanting to check out ever since I heard the Deftones cover of Sinatra. Everyone was telling me I was gonna love them and yep they were right. I'll definitely be checking out more of their discography, sounds like I'm in for a treat!
@@mollyesanborn You definitely are! And yeah i remember, saw that video when it came out and fully recommended Helmet like a lot of us did... keep the reactions going! Love 'em, when i realize it's wednesday i always wait for you to drop a video haha
I saw them open for Ministry and Sepultura back in 1992. Amazing show, I was in the pit all night and we hit Dennys after where I drank an orange juice, apple juice, grapefruit juice, tomato juice, and glass of water to rehydrate.
Page Hamilton was still playing a G&L SC-2 (I think that model) for Strap It on. He had just left Band of Susans where Robert Poss turned him on to. Poss is G&L and general guitar nerd and also has the G&L Fallout guitar based on sone of his mods to the original SC models). Also the rich you’re hearing is Fun City studios. There arent any effects.
Strap it On is fantastic but Meantime and especially Betty are just masterpieces. Betty is one of my favorite albums ever made, can't wait to hear your thoughts on it.
On Meantime, They Have A Popular Single "Unsung" Which Is Number #4. I'll Suggest You Check Out The Next Album Along With Betty And Aftertaste. It Will Blow You Away.
Been away for a while, glad to see your stuff pop up! Random question: have you ever listened to the band, Defeater? Aggro vocals, ambient/prog metal, emo lyrics. I have a hard time defining their sound, but they always finds a way back in my rotation. Would love to hear your take.
Wow, I haven't seen anyone mention this for a while. I've seen them quite a few times in the 90s. I still have cd copies of Meantime (favorite) and Betty. Have you heard of The Warning? They are three sisters from Mexico that play hard rock in a style many feel sounds like 90's and early 2000's rock. Definitely by the other bands you've been covering, many of my favorites, you'd like The Warning. Crazy talented and great songwriting. You might Like Evolve, or Disciple.
Love Helmet, but sort of forgot about them! Thank you for the happy reminder. If you like the heavy, lofi vibe, that record label (Amphetamine Reptile) has a whole lot to offer! A few standouts being Hammerhead (particularly Hammerhead), Cows, and Janitor Joe.
Glad I reminded you about Helmet! Such a great band and I'm glad I've finally given them a listen. I'll have to check out more from their record label, thanks for letting me know.
What I love about early 90s bands like this (as well as Melvins & Jesus Lizard) is their ability to use noise/effects & dissonance to make truly sinister sounds and was truly unique (and ugly) compared to traditional metal at the time. Probably because those bands came more from the hardcore/noise scene. Especially with the stop/start rhythms that Helmet frequently used at the time. Plus all the bands they ended up influencing (Nirvana, Mastodon, Deftones, TOOL, Soundgarden, Pantera, Mr Bungle etc) are really good too and you can really hear those qualities in their music as well.
Yeah bands that really lean into that "ugly" quality to their music I always seem to enjoy. I love how experimental Helmet got with all of the sounds they implement on Strap It On.
You should listen to Cocteau Twins debut “Garlands”. Deftones covered the song “Wax & Wane” off of it. Their last release, “Milk & Kisses” is an underground classic.
I always loved how raw this album sounds. Meantime might be a more objectively better album from start to finish, but this one is my favorite Helmet album. It's funny how opinions change over time. Betty used to be considered a dud of an album following up Meantime. Probably because it was more experimental. I used to see 4 or 5 copies of Betty in used CD bins back in the day. Even new it was cheap. Then some time in the late 2000s it started getting more recognition online, and suddenly gone were all those copies, lol.
Helmet may have a lot of similar to Deftones. For me, Helmet sounds more like a harsher and less sludgier version of the Melvins with how abrasive their sound is. Oh, and they also sound similar to Unsane too.
@@mollyesanborn you got good taste. I wish you did some videos where you focused on reactions to one select song from artists. I like the album reviews but what i think most reaction content people dont get is analysos is cool but it isnt particularly exciting, i think people like to watch reactions to see the initial spark in a persons face when they hear something. Ykno.
Hi Molly, I’m so happy that me and my best friend discovered your channel. It has introduced us to different artists and new genres of music. We listen to the full albums that you react to after watching your videos. We chat about the album and talk about the style, sounds and feel of each song. We always watch your videos together and enjoy them. How does that sound?
I like the Peel Sessions versions of Rude and Sinatra, so much better! This is a classic album, very raw and unpolished… like if you were walking down an alley and heard a band playing in the garage with the door closed.
Helmet went on to influence groovier metal. Probably because of the syncopation that they have and the stripped down riffs. I believe that Korn sites Helmet as an influence.
Apologies for lobbing even more recommendations at you, but this reminded me of another band who is loosely affiliated. And in spite of having next to no fan base, I'm thinking their name alone would attract a bunch of curiosity views? And to top it all off, they're actually really good. If you ever need to scrape the bottom of the barrel, they're called Gay Witch Abortion. Actually, I'd probably cover them before Nickelback.
Helmet is definitely a “musician’s” band. Very technical and precise, but also accessible. Meantime is a must listen. Another band suggestion from the same era that is also well respected among musicians is King’s X. I highly recommend checking them out. Their self titled album, Dogman and Gretchen Goes to Nebraska are the 3 albums I would recommend as starting points. This is a sample and probably their most well know song that got airplay in the early 90s ua-cam.com/video/XLsUtcrfYbw/v-deo.html
Thank you for the suggestion, I've never heard of King's X before. I'll have to check them out. And I will definitely have to plan on a reaction to Meantime as well, I'm loving Helmet's sound.
You’re welcome, Molly. King’s X is often cited by pro musicians as a huge influence (Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam in particular talked about them influencing his playing). They had all of the pieces there to be huge, but a lot of record label mismanagement really got in the way unfortunately
This is a great album for how rough sounding it is. But when you egt to the Betty album...you're going to see/hear where about 75% of all heavier bands from the mid-ate 90s/early 2000s drew their inspiration from.
Helmet is one of the most underrated yet influential bands of all time. They played an important role in shaping up alternative metal & nu metal genre.
One of my favourite ever bands.
I always loved the fact that they didn't look like metallers, you could pass them in the street and never guess they were metal musicians, yet their ferocious, abrasive sound blew the likes of Metallica off any stage.
Helmet next 2 albums are masterpieces for me, but this is a very strong debut for any band.
I used to have this theory...if you ever found yourself in a fight and had just listened to Meantime or Betty at all, you'd win.
Yeah this is a great debut! I love their sound. I'll definitely have to check out more from their discography.
YES! Meantime and Betty are timeless bangers. Most people tend to qualify Meantime as their masterpiece, but I like Betty even more. Especially the somewhat cleaner production. I also liked Aftertaste, the one after this one. Less aggressive, more melodies, but still very good. Those are my favorite three😎
@Frédéric Chaboteau Dude, yes! I think the first two albums are more headbanging, but Betty is more head-nodding. There's a lot more groove to it.
@@palazzo1113 Betty is also the album where headbanging groove and melody is perfectly balanced. And my favorite song, I Know, with that phenomenal drum intro is on that album. Still banging my head on that song, I'll turn 45in April, when that unmatched groove finds its way through the speakers of my car.
Cant wait for you to hear Betty! Definitely one of my fav albums ever!
I'm excited to hear it too!
There's a handful of post-hardcore, noise-rock type bands from NYC at this time that you should also check out if you're feeling Helmet. These include Orange 9mm, Quicksand, Unsane, Cop Shoot Cop, Foetus (anything by JG Thirlwell actually).
Yeah I'm really enjoying this sound that Helmet has on their debut, I'll have to check out your suggestions.
@@mollyesanborn Self titled Unsane has the same producer like Strap It On. But that album is really odd and strange. You cant understand the vocals, due to how distorted they are. The album is infamous for the album cover as well.
Oh my god you’re awesome, I love helmet and I’ve been wanting someone to listen to some full albums on UA-cam!! Just wait for Meantime, that shit is fire, Betty is even better, so get ready.
Yeah Helmet is great based on hearing this first album from them. Definitely excited to hear more!
It's really cool seeing Helmet get some love, they're one of my favorite bands. This album is a little rough around the edges but it's the blueprint for their later stuff. Meantime, Betty and Aftertaste are amazing albums, their influence on Rock and Metal can't be overstated. Can't wait to see what you think of Meantime!
It's absolutely clear listening to Strap It On that helmet had a big influence on metal bands that followed them. Can't wait to hear more of their albums now!
despite having a great production in my opinion Aftertaste is a step below the first helmet albums
Helmet is my all-time favorite band! I really hope you continue listening to and reviewing their music! Thank you for bringing attention to amazing bands like them!
Helmet is great, I'll definitely plan on some more reactions covering more of their albums.
Those fist three Helmet albums are incredible. Them: Drive Like Jehu, Fugazi and Unwound changed the way I viewed music in the 90's. Love seeing the reviews.
I can't wait to hear more from Helmet on their next few records.
Helmet is one of my favorite bands. Their riffs are awesome and unconventional. The music is very rhythmic, like a machine, it just drives. They were definitely an influence on my band.
These guys don't get enough recognition despite having a massive influence on some of the most important bands to emerge in the 90s and 2000s (Pantera, Nine Inch Nails, Korn, Mastodon, System of a Down, Tool, etc.)
I hope you continue with their discography.
I'll definitely plan on some more Helmet videos, I really want to hear how their sound progresses on their next few albums. And yeah that influence is very apparent listening to Helmet, I can tell they were a very pioneering band for acts that followed them.
FINALLY, ONE BAND I WANTED YOU TO REVIEW. THANK YOU!!!!
Yay! Hope you enjoyed the video. Helmet is great, I'm so glad people were suggesting that I check their music out.
1000 cool points for listening to this. The albums Meantime and Aftertaste are GOLD.
Helmet is great, I will definitely plan on doing more of their albums on the channel!
wow i haven't heard this one even i am a helmet fan... nice to listen and discover for the first time this with you :)
This album is a masterpiece.
I prefer this one over Meantime.
I love how dusty and garage-like it sounds. Wharton Tiers is well known for his unpolished sound, the first Unsane album is same with the demo-like quality. Blacktop has one of my favorite grooves in the chorus. "Walk on top. You run beneath!" Not to mention that phenomenal intro guitar riff, oh yeah.
This album has almost this sludgy edge. I love how raw and isolated everything sounds.
Can't wait to see you react to their next two albums!!
Whoa!! I can’t believe you listened to this obscure album. It’s one of my favorites!
Helmet and Faith No More paved the way for the entire Alternative Metal spectrum, similar to what The Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana did. 'Betty' is a favourite one and Aftertaste has one of their greatest songs, called Pure, 1st track on the album. You're doing great, nice picks ! 😶🌫
Helmet and Hum were duking it out in the 90s for me. Their Betty album might be my fave. I think the Deftones took the best of both, sprinkled in a little Smashing Pumpkins and came out delicious.
My favorite band of all time! I can’t wait until you listen to Meantime and Betty.
Somehow I’ve only just seen this. I was BIG into Helmet around the time I was at uni and played all their albums to death. I always loved how they were both heavy and minimal at once. A very important band that set the stage for the alternative metal that was to come. Thank you once again for taking the road less traveled with your reactions. 😊
You need to react to this album called Mirrored by this band called Battles, it came out in 2007 and sounds like it was made in 2097. It's fantastic and the drummer from Helmet also plays in this band.
I always go see this band whenever they tour. Who wouldn't. Can't believe I missed this reaction 'til now. Doing well on my fave bands, so far. Just KILLING JOKE and THERAPY? next then. As people have said previously, do the next three albums from Helmet. Oh yeah.
I have been watching your reviews for a few months, but the ones I enjoy most are the ones you do for records of the 90s (at this stage I was adolescent) I am excited to see how the sound is still talking intact and connects the same emotions in young people. You do a good job !
Man the 90's really were a great decade for music. A lot of my favorite albums that I've been introduced to through this channel were released in the 90's. Seems like a time period where a lot of artists were putting a ton of emotion into their music.
the debut is really cool and raw but you should really checkout “Meantime” and “Betty”. both are super influential and good albums
I'll definitely have to give both of those a listen now.
I like both of those a lot. Meantime blew my mind when it came out.
Wot about Aftertaste? I play that all the time. It's really solid start to finish in my books. All killer no filler stuff.
I can’t wait to watch this, I glad you started with my favourite Helmet album. I still listen to this one pretty frequently, especially compared to a lot of the music from back then that I barely listen to anymore.
I haven't listen to Helmet for a long long time. I'm gonna listen to them again.
Nice! Hope ya enjoy hearing them again.
I literally just listened to this record! This record just is so unique and the rawness is incredible. The guitar solo's on this are a beautiful trainwreck of chaos! Their singer/guitarist is a Jazz guitar major believe it or not! But with the musicality of the band it's not surprising
Yeah it's rawness is fantastic, I agree!
@@mollyesanborn You'll love their later records. Especially Betty cause they get weird on that one!
When i saw the title I thought it was the song Strap Me In by The Cars, I know you do album reviews but if you ever review single tracks I recommend that one it's so good!
Thanks for the suggestion! I know some others have mentioned The Cars to me in the comments too, I've got em on my list :)
OMG YES. I'VE BEEN WANTING THIS FOR SO LONG. THIS HAS MADE MY WEEK. THANK YOU
That's awesome! Yeah Helmet is great, I love their sound on this first album of theirs.
Dang, this video flew by so fast! I love this channel, it's so varied. I suggest Streetcleaner by Godflesh or a Gojira album for the future. Thanks, Molly.
Glad you're enjoying the channel! I've got Godflesh on my list of bands to check out, I know several others have suggested them as well. And I've already heard Gojira, I did an album ranking video for them a while back on my channel if you're interested :)
@@mollyesanborn "Streetcleaner"'s a piece of work, it's rightly considered a seminal album... might be a challenging piece of work - Ministry are a "classic" industrial band, but Godflesh are... intense. It's "named" after Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper. Yorkshire police nicknamed him The Streetcleaner because his victims were mostly prostitutes - classy move there on the part of Yorkshire Police :/
For me, "Streetcleaner" an full of rage and despair - well worth a listen for the darker side of industrial.
As a huge fan of Helmet and Post-Hardcore, this was my gateway into heavier music in the early 90s. This band has influenced so many across different genres of music. If you like them you may want to also check out Quicksand, Rivals Schools, Orange 9mm, Into Another, and HANDSOME which was a supergroup that Helmet guitarist Peter Mengede formed with members of Quicksand, Cro-Mags, and Murphys Law.
Helmet is my absolute top favorite band. Just nothing like them during my teens in the 90s or now. I still enjoy every album start to finish no matter how many time I listen. Nice choice!!
I actually first heard Helmet through the "Saw III" soundtrack. They have a song called "Monochrome" on there, and it's more of a melodic song. As I worked my way back through their albums I was surprised to hear how raw and aggressive their music is. Helmet's is definitely bare bones, but I really enjoy how in-your-face their music is.
Yeah this first album is very bare bones, I kinda love that quality to their style though. I'm curious to hear how their style will evolve on their subsequent records.
I remember when this came out. I was deep into the Thrash, Death Metal and Industrial scenes. Helmet had a new kind of thing going on, but it was hard and heavy. So I make for the first live show I can get to. I'm in the audience, the lights go down and these dudes with short hair wearing Polo shirts come out on stage and pick up the instruments. I'm thinking, "Boy those guys look clean cut for roadies." Then they ripped into a killer a set and I realized they weren't roadies at all. I had been been expecting the usual long hair, concert shirts and ripped jeans, not some guys who looked like they were on the way to a fraternity house. Page Hamilton routinely mocked the audience and himself in his humor that was equal parts ironic and acerbic. I saw these guys a lot of times after that. Great band and they always delivered live.
Love this video! Not related to any of the bands you've covered on your channel, but I would love to hear your thoughts on The Jesus Lizard band, specially their first two albums.
helmet was one of my favorite bands a few years back, and an album like Betty became an all-time favorite with my ratings. The hype has faded a bit but it's still one of my favs albums, Betty. Here on Strap It On the band continues to battle between noise rock and post hardcore, but then on the next album Meantime it fully develops as a post hc/alternative metal band (with some jazz elements)
Other 90s alternative bands you should check out are Prong, Unsane, Godflesh... if you want to continue with noise, post-hc industrial alt metal
great reaction again Molly !!
I can't wait to hear both Meantime and Betty and hear how their sound continues to develop. Post hardcore with jazz elements sounds pretty dope! And I'll be sure that Prong and Unsane are on my list, I know that Godflesh has been suggested quite a bit. I'll have to check them out.
Oh yeah. So happy you've started a Helmet discography. There second and third album is sooooooo good.. Enjoy the journey. There drummer is so underrated. Great reaction
I'm happy I've finally heard Helmet as well! I'm loving their sound, I'll definitely have to give Meantime and Betty a listen now too.
Just giving a drop in and requesting a Dog Fashion Disco album. I haven't tried in a while. Figured it was worth a shot...lol...I'll keep watching and trying every once in a while. I still love the reactions.
I appreciate the support, I've still got Dog Fashion Disco on my list!
A lot of people are gonna mention the meantime-aftertaste era but I'm excited for you to hear size matters and monochrome, maybe my two favorite helmet albums. A more nu-metal sound especially on size matters but I think they pull off that sound perfectly, and they still keep a lot of the aggression from their earlier stuff. The only thing I'd say is noticeably not as interesting tho are the drums, as they no longer had John Stanier on drums post-aftertaste (or really any of the og members expect page hamilton, but drums are where you notice the differences the most imo)
This is a band that's is constantly changing and evolving as a band.
I'm excited to see where they take their sound on their next few albums.
Soooooo good in seeing Strap It On get the love it deserves in 2023.
Helmet is great, I'm so glad I've finally heard some music from them!
@@mollyesanborn I'm glad you started off from the start. Meantime and then Betty would make the most sense for you to enjoy the journey.
Yesss! Such a great band, this album is their rawest; Deftones do a great cover of Sinatra from this album. You must check out Unsane, The Jesus Lizard, Prong, Fudge Tunnel and Godflesh. Helmet rule, those first 3 albums especially are masterworks in angular noise rock.
I love the raw sound of Strap It On and am really excited to hear how their sound and musical style will evolve across their discography. Sounds like I'm in for a treat with Meantime and Betty. And thanks for the band suggestions, I'll be sure all of those are on my list :)
Fuu... I haven't heard Fudge Tunnel in forever... damn fine band.
@@mollyesanborn Pretty sure "Meantime" is named after the film, Tim Roth's breakout role, stunning film.
Hey Molly, idk if you heard of Alcest but they are a really awesome blackgaze band and I think that you will really love them. I would definitely start with Souvenirs D'un Autre Monde, an absolutely beautiful album, and would love to see a reaction to it as I feel it needs more love from the reactors here on youtube.
Alcest has been suggested before, I've got them on my list! Can't wait to hear their music.
@@mollyesanborn I certainly look forward to it! Keep up the great reactions!
Helmet blends jazz with (industrial) metal.
The Smashing Pumpkins are always blending dream pop with doom metal.
07:42 FBLA II is the best.
Hey Molly! 🤘🏻🖤🤘🏻
Hi there! :D
Big influence on some of the nu metal bands, Meantime and Betty are awesome albums. Paige Hamilton - guitar/vocals went on to play for Bowie for a time.
I'll have to give Meantime and Betty a listen now too!
Hi, Molly. Glad your getting to do some reviews on HELMET. Ive seen some other people already suggest their album "Betty" I agree whole hearted with them. That album is one of the best alternative rock records recorded, enjoy!
I'll definitely have to give Betty a listen now, i'm excited to hear it!
You've definitely got the do "Betty" by Helmet, it'll make a lot of other records you've responded to "make sense" - it's probably their best mix of recording quality + songwriting. Might I suggest Refused "The Shape of Punk To Come"... you will not be sorry, I promise ;)
I'll definitely plan on listening to Betty as well! Can't wait to hear it :)
New drinking game. Take a drink every time Molly says "energy".
Haha oh boy...
Such a good album! Very oldschool too, it's amazing how the genre developed until now. You should listen to "Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic" by The Ocean, highly recommended!
This is one of those albums I grew up with, I still remember going to the music store and thinking "Well that looks like a good album" I had not heard any of the songs on it I just bought it. Back then it was a lot of skateboarding and if I stayed home sick on occasion from school? This would be one of those albums I would listen to. My fave tracks were of course "Bad Mood" "Blacktop" "Distracted" "Rude" again it was one of those albums where I did not like every song just some of the songs. Like many in the comments yea I agree Helmet is one of those bands that is pretty good. I think I remember I was making a hot pocket in the microwave and watching it turn round and around in the microwave and listening to "Bad Mood" at the same time 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Been waiting this one for weeks haha glad you finally listened to it, knew you were gonna love them it's a great band with more than great musicians, and if you liked the debut you are gonna absolulety love their next 3 albums! The next 2 are just masterpieces no doubt, and Aftertaste its a great album, it just doesn't get enough attention because Meantime and Betty are so so fucking good
I know, Helmet is a band that I've been wanting to check out ever since I heard the Deftones cover of Sinatra. Everyone was telling me I was gonna love them and yep they were right. I'll definitely be checking out more of their discography, sounds like I'm in for a treat!
@@mollyesanborn You definitely are! And yeah i remember, saw that video when it came out and fully recommended Helmet like a lot of us did... keep the reactions going! Love 'em, when i realize it's wednesday i always wait for you to drop a video haha
I saw them open for Ministry and Sepultura back in 1992. Amazing show, I was in the pit all night and we hit Dennys after where I drank an orange juice, apple juice, grapefruit juice, tomato juice, and glass of water to rehydrate.
One of my dad's best friends saw that tour up here in Mass. I'm kinda jealous. He said Ministry kinda sucked but Sepultura and Helmet were awesome.
Molly, good times are definitely coming your way with their following three albums...😊😎
I'm so excited to hear them!
Page Hamilton was still playing a G&L SC-2 (I think that model) for Strap It on. He had just left Band of Susans where Robert Poss turned him on to. Poss is G&L and general guitar nerd and also has the G&L Fallout guitar based on sone of his mods to the original SC models). Also the rich you’re hearing is Fun City studios. There arent any effects.
Strap it On is fantastic but Meantime and especially Betty are just masterpieces. Betty is one of my favorite albums ever made, can't wait to hear your thoughts on it.
I would argue "unsung" is their most popular song....and a banger
Can't wait to hear that one, I'll have to give Meantime a listen now!
On Meantime, They Have A Popular Single "Unsung" Which Is Number #4. I'll Suggest You Check Out The Next Album Along With Betty And Aftertaste. It Will Blow You Away.
I'll definitely be checking out more of their discography, I'm really looking forward to hearing Meantime.
Been away for a while, glad to see your stuff pop up! Random question: have you ever listened to the band, Defeater? Aggro vocals, ambient/prog metal, emo lyrics. I have a hard time defining their sound, but they always finds a way back in my rotation. Would love to hear your take.
no, never heard of Defeater! I'll have to check out their music, thanks for the suggestion :)
Blacktop is one of their best songs imo every riff in that song hit so diff
10:09 yeah, that's guitar 😍
Kudos for giving Helmet a spin👏
Yeah Helmet is great! I really enjoyed their musical style on this first record from them.
Can't wait till you get to Betty. Not only is it my favorite Helmet album, but in my opinion, one of the most underrated albums of the 90's
Ooh I am excited to hear it!
I FOLLOW YOU AROUND. AND TALK ABOUT ME!
Helmet isn't a band. It's an experiment.
you should 100% react to u-void synthesizer. Love your vids btw
First comment let's gooooooo! Haha but thanks for the album suggestion, I'll make sure it's on my list :)
Quicksand - Slip
Demolition Hammer - Time Bomb
Primus - Suck On This
Thanks for the suggestions!
Please do a video on their album Meantime
Early Helmet is great! Once drummer John Stanier left, they just weren’t the same in my opinion.
Knew you'd love helmet. Looking forward to your reaction to meantime.
Yep I love their sound! I'll definitely have to give Meantime and the rest of their albums a listen now.
Love your vids
Thanks for watching!
Wow, I haven't seen anyone mention this for a while. I've seen them quite a few times in the 90s. I still have cd copies of Meantime (favorite) and Betty. Have you heard of The Warning? They are three sisters from Mexico that play hard rock in a style many feel sounds like 90's and early 2000's rock. Definitely by the other bands you've been covering, many of my favorites, you'd like The Warning. Crazy talented and great songwriting. You might Like Evolve, or Disciple.
I don't believe I've heard of The Warning, sounds like something I'd enjoy though. Thanks for the suggestion :)
@@mollyesanborn Another vote for *The Warning!* You will be amazed by the response from The Warning Army if you do a reaction.
Never realized you did "Strap it on" you should def get into "Meantime" and "Betty"
The next 2 albums are a must. ALSO they have an album of early singles and compilation tracks called Born Annoying. It’s a must listen!
I cannot wait to hear those next couple of albums! I'll have to check out Born Annoying too, thanks.
Helmet é uma das minhas bandas favoritas da vida
Love Helmet, but sort of forgot about them! Thank you for the happy reminder. If you like the heavy, lofi vibe, that record label (Amphetamine Reptile) has a whole lot to offer! A few standouts being Hammerhead (particularly Hammerhead), Cows, and Janitor Joe.
Glad I reminded you about Helmet! Such a great band and I'm glad I've finally given them a listen. I'll have to check out more from their record label, thanks for letting me know.
by blacktop you had this band figured out lol you described this album perfectly during that song
When I think about Helmet, I think about Quicksand.
Good to know, I have Quicksand on my list as well and will have to give their stuff a listen.
What I love about early 90s bands like this (as well as Melvins & Jesus Lizard) is their ability to use noise/effects & dissonance to make truly sinister sounds and was truly unique (and ugly) compared to traditional metal at the time. Probably because those bands came more from the hardcore/noise scene. Especially with the stop/start rhythms that Helmet frequently used at the time. Plus all the bands they ended up influencing (Nirvana, Mastodon, Deftones, TOOL, Soundgarden, Pantera, Mr Bungle etc) are really good too and you can really hear those qualities in their music as well.
Yeah bands that really lean into that "ugly" quality to their music I always seem to enjoy. I love how experimental Helmet got with all of the sounds they implement on Strap It On.
They were ahead of the game in 1990!
You gotta do Slint Spiderland at some point, the most influential band that no one has ever heard of.
You should listen to Cocteau Twins debut “Garlands”. Deftones covered the song “Wax & Wane” off of it. Their last release, “Milk & Kisses” is an underground classic.
Definitely, I've got Cocteau Twins on my list!
Molly is smart and your expressions are accurate.
I always loved how raw this album sounds. Meantime might be a more objectively better album from start to finish, but this one is my favorite Helmet album. It's funny how opinions change over time. Betty used to be considered a dud of an album following up Meantime. Probably because it was more experimental. I used to see 4 or 5 copies of Betty in used CD bins back in the day. Even new it was cheap. Then some time in the late 2000s it started getting more recognition online, and suddenly gone were all those copies, lol.
yeah I'm really curious to hear both Meantime and Betty and see how their sound progresses from one album to the next.
You should listen to meantime its one of my favorite albums
I'll definitely have to give Meantime a listen too!
Some of the rhythms and changes you picked up on come from Page Hamilton’s background in jazz guitar.
Unsung is the best song by Helmet. Please review.
Helmet may have a lot of similar to Deftones. For me, Helmet sounds more like a harsher and less sludgier version of the Melvins with how abrasive their sound is. Oh, and they also sound similar to Unsane too.
helmet. hell yea. betty!
Helmet is great! I loved this debut record from them and am looking forward to the rest of their albums.
@@mollyesanborn you got good taste. I wish you did some videos where you focused on reactions to one select song from artists. I like the album reviews but what i think most reaction content people dont get is analysos is cool but it isnt particularly exciting, i think people like to watch reactions to see the initial spark in a persons face when they hear something. Ykno.
I love how you're reviewing Helmet like you're at a wine tasting lol.
Hi Molly, I’m so happy that me and my best friend discovered your channel. It has introduced us to different artists and new genres of music. We listen to the full albums that you react to after watching your videos. We chat about the album and talk about the style, sounds and feel of each song. We always watch your videos together and enjoy them. How does that sound?
I'm so glad you and your friend are enjoying the videos! Hopefully you've discovered some new music to enjoy :)
I like the Peel Sessions versions of Rude and Sinatra, so much better! This is a classic album, very raw and unpolished… like if you were walking down an alley and heard a band playing in the garage with the door closed.
Helmet went on to influence groovier metal. Probably because of the syncopation that they have and the stripped down riffs. I believe that Korn sites Helmet as an influence.
Apologies for lobbing even more recommendations at you, but this reminded me of another band who is loosely affiliated. And in spite of having next to no fan base, I'm thinking their name alone would attract a bunch of curiosity views? And to top it all off, they're actually really good. If you ever need to scrape the bottom of the barrel, they're called Gay Witch Abortion.
Actually, I'd probably cover them before Nickelback.
Yeah never heard of that band before! I'll add em to my list, thanks :)
They were influence for Pantera and Korn.
Helmet is definitely a “musician’s” band. Very technical and precise, but also accessible. Meantime is a must listen. Another band suggestion from the same era that is also well respected among musicians is King’s X. I highly recommend checking them out. Their self titled album, Dogman and Gretchen Goes to Nebraska are the 3 albums I would recommend as starting points. This is a sample and probably their most well know song that got airplay in the early 90s ua-cam.com/video/XLsUtcrfYbw/v-deo.html
Thank you for the suggestion, I've never heard of King's X before. I'll have to check them out. And I will definitely have to plan on a reaction to Meantime as well, I'm loving Helmet's sound.
You’re welcome, Molly. King’s X is often cited by pro musicians as a huge influence (Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam in particular talked about them influencing his playing). They had all of the pieces there to be huge, but a lot of record label mismanagement really got in the way unfortunately
RIDE THE LIGHTNING
Soon! I can't wait to hear it :)
@@mollyesanborn Thanks for answering and excuse my impatience, I love you :)
Check out aftertaste the percussion is so good if you like this perrcusion and he riffs are so heavy definitely check it out
LISTEN TO THE SPIT ALBUM BY KITTIE
This is a great album for how rough sounding it is. But when you egt to the Betty album...you're going to see/hear where about 75% of all heavier bands from the mid-ate 90s/early 2000s drew their inspiration from.
I'm super excited to hear Betty and see where they take their sound on that album.
This album is fine, but it's weird how much the quality jumps on the next one.
Ooh I'm excited to continue with their discography and hear the difference.