Faith No More -Sol Invictus

After waiting eighteen years for album that I never thought would actually come out, Faith No More reunited to release Sol Invictus.  This album is better than what it should be for a band that was known for pioneering alternative music and doing it their own way.  This isn’t a reunion album designed to cash in on past accomplishments, this is a group of guys that continue to push boundaries creating their own sound.  Like fine wine, FNM got even better with age.  “Sol Invictus” opens with Roddy Bottom ‘s keys bringing us into a holy sounding piece with Mike Bordin’s drums keeping a military marching beat.  Mike Patton’s vocals wash over the sounds with varied harmonies, creating an atmosphere of desperation and religious questioning. A very peaceful opening track that sets the tone for the entire album.  Next up is “Superhero,” a song so FNM-esque that you almost forget it has been eighteen years since they recorded music together.  Every member has their moment in this song, with it’s fast pace rhythm, dynamic keys, bassist Billy Gould and guitarist Jon Hudson sound great together here.  Patton uses all of his vocals talents on this one; singing, harmonies, guttural screams, and the occasional howl or two.  I have read a few reviews that said “Sunny Side Up” sounds like “Easy” meets “RV,” but this catchy tongue in cheek number is so much more than that.  Gould’s bass takes lead with this comical number about cooking an egg.  With it’s mellow beginning, things quickly turn to an incredibly intense chorus, followed by another mellow verse.  Only Patton can make lyrics like “sunny side up, it’s not the only way to fry an egg” or “honey bees will sting for me, stinging” and make them sound believable.  That has always been one of FNM’s finest traits, taking the absurd very serious.  They are in on the joke, are you?  While it does sound a little like one of Patton’s other bands Tomahawk, “Separation Anxiety” is one of the best tracks on an album full of good ones.  Gould and Bordin paint a dark and brooding sound that allows Patton to sound his creepiest.  There may even be a hint of “Malpractice” found in this one.  As the end of the song draws near, Hudson’s guitar aids Patton’s voice to delirium.  This song sticks with you after hearing it.  Possibly the highest point of Sol Invictus follows in “Cone Of Shame.”  The song begins very western sounding with Patton doing a bit of crooning over Bordin’s marching drums.  Then almost exactly at the middle part of the song spoken lyrics begin setting up a showdown of musically intensity unlike anything else found on the album.  “You’re only happy when you’re pissing me off” Patton screams during the sonic assault.  This song alone is worth the price of admission.  In true FNM fashion, they follow that up with a song that has an Italian flavor to it.  “Rise Of The Fall” has verses that sound like you are relaxing on some gondola while the choruses yank you away from your musical vacation into some nightmare that only Patton could compose.  The structure of this song feels very Mr. Bungle in a FNM sort of way.  I bit of acoustic guitar turns up next in the attack on consumerism “Black Friday.”  A bit of Hispanic sound in Hudson’s guitar playing carries this song while Patton screams “buy it” over and over again.  The irony here is that their first single released off Sol Invictus was released on Black Friday, which is the next track.  Only FNM could get away with making their first new song in eighteen years called “Motherfucker.”  In a first, Bottom sings all the verses in spoken word.  The first listen probably feels very weird, but after multiple listens and it really works. Bordin’s drums carry the song along while Patton has various harmonies in the background before singing the choruses.  There are parts of the song that feel very classic FNM, especially when Hudson’s guitar moves to the forefront.  Another haunting highlight is “Matador.”  It’s beautiful piano juxtaposed with the creepy guitar playing makes this song feel off in a good way.  The song has a very grand feel to it as it progresses in a “King For A Day” sort of way.  Everything comes together in an epic finish.  Very likely making light of their return, the last track is titled “From The Dead.”  It has a very hymnal sound, like the entire album has been a religious experience.  A very beautiful and peaceful way to end their return as Patton sings “back from the dead, I can see the end.”  To have Faith No More back, touring and releasing new music is a exactly what the music world needs.  The masters are back to teach the students how it is done.  Sol Invictus isn’t Angel Dust, but is better than 90% of all the other shit being passed off as music today.  Welcome back FNM, stay as long as you like!