I’m not a big fan of cover songs let alone a complete album of cover, despite being played by one of my favorite bands, so reviewing this 14 song insight to Between the Buried and Me?s infleunces was a bit of a oxymoron for me. First off, here is the track listing. This alone should determine of the album is worth buying for most of you without having to read further;

1. “Blackened” – Metallica
2. “Kickstart My Hear”t – Motley Crue

3. “The Day I Tried To Live” – Soundgarden
4. “Bicycle Race” – Queen
5. “Three Of A Perfect Pair” – King Crimson
6. “Us And Them” – Pink Floyd
7. “Geek U.S.A” – The Smashing Pumpkins
8. “Forced March” – Earth Crisis
9. “Territory” – Sepultura
10. ?Change? – Blind Melon
11. “Malpractice? – Faith No More
12. “Little 15” – Depeche Mode
13. “Cemetary Gates” – Pantera
14. BONUS TRACK; “Colorblind” – Counting Crows

Pretty varied, eh? The mix of expected metal homage (Metallica, Earth Crisis, Sepultura, King Crimson) are typically juiced up and metallic versions of the originals. Of particular note is guitarist Paul Waggoner giving “Blackened” his own shredding solos amid the more blasting backdrop, an element I would have liked on more of the songs.

However, it?s the more of the wall tracks that leap out at you here; “Kick Start My Heart” is a silly yet undeniably catchy take on the Motley Crue cock rock anthem and Queen’s “Bicycle Race” is a quirky take on a quirky song, that BTBAM manage to make their own. Blind Melon’s “Change” is also a nice delicate unusual choice of ballad, unlike the rather limp wristed take on “Cemetary Gates”. I would like to have heard the band but more of their own spin on Soundgarden’s “The Day I Tried to Live” and The Smashing Pumpkins “Geek USA”, but to be honest I’m not that much of a fan of the originals to really care.

Ultimately, whether you purchase this depends on how big of a fan of BTBAM you are of how much interested you are in hearing some rather unusual covers songs. The thing I found was, amazingly, you can hear all of these influences tangibly in BTBAM song writing, (especially King Crimson and Pink Floyd) so this album comes across as a little more than needless contractual filler, but rather more a look deeper into an amazing band?s underlying influences.

Certainly a bit more than a novelty release, but not by much.

[Visit the band's website]

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