Band : Static-X
Album: Wisconsin Death Trip (1999)
# of tracks: 12
Static-X is frequently tagged with the often derisive “NuMetal” genre, the band disagrees. Preferring, instead to label themselves as Evil-Disco. Now as much as I loath the polyester profanity that is Disco, I can kinda see what they mean. A lot of the songs on this album are rhythmic, catchy, four-on-the-floor type beats...that have then been fed through an industrial meat grinder, giving them a very machine like sound. Mix in thrashy, industrial riffs, syncopated basslines, keyboards, synthesizers, Wayne's searing vocals and voila! EVIL-DISCO.
Music is Time travel. No, I'm serious.
It's NOW; I'm driving. Windows down, music up, listening to WISCONSIN DEATH TRIP...
Its THEN; I'm playing some late night video games and hearing STATIC-X for the first time. I've got an entire summer ahead of me, full of comics, movies, video games… and of course annoying the piss out of tourists with my windows down; music up LOUD.
As soon as I heard the opening chords of Push It, I knew... it was gonna be a gooood summer.
I love it when albums start off like this! Push It is loud, heavy and groovy as hell from go. Deftly blending elements of Industrial Metal and Electronic Music to create their own unique sound, Evil Disco. The layering in this song is fantastic, with each element distinctly adding to the track. A testament to the excellent mixing job Ulrich Wild did on it and the rest of the album. This track became the First single and got a stop motion/ live action video directed by Mick Olszewski. This song also made it's way onto numerous soundtracks for both film (Idle Hands, Torque) and video games (Duke Nukem: Land of the Babes, Rock Band). This would be a recurring thing throughout their active years.
“Heeeee's a Loser, She said!” I'm With Stupid picks up right the first track leaves off in intensity and tempo. A blistering wall of big crunchy riffs and catchy beats layered with some choice samples from the 1988 comedy horror film Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama make this one feel like a fun B Horror movie romp “So I grabbed my Shovel”.
Wayne's unique vocal delivery is in full effect here. Delivering the lyrics with an almost manic energy that plays particularity well with the campy nature of the samples.“And I beat him in the skull, And took him down, And then I grabbed a rope And I hogtied him” This is the second single from WDT and also got a music video that features a crazy woman with a shovel chasing down the creature from the PUSH IT video.
SPOILER ALERT the poor little bastard doesn't make it, and the crazy woman takes off her face revealing...Wayne Static!
Bled for Days is a deliberate, stomping, machine of a song that aggressively moshes it's way through your speakers. Syncopated beats, palm muting chuggy goodness and some great programming all serve to give this track a heavy punch all the way to the end.
Wayne cycles through a couple of different vocal styles in this one; going from a mid range deep growl to a higher range scream. Often switching from one to the next between verse and chorus. Tony provides the deeper growl back up vocals. This was the final single from WDT and also got a music video.
It may have been the last album single but it was the first track released on the Bride of Chucky Soundtrack. The song also appeared on the soundtrack for Universal Soldier: The Return
A crunchy staccato riff, those ever catchy drums beats and some sci-fi sounds begin the title track, Wisconsin Death Trip. That riff loops until the second guitar matches it and the bassline kicks in. Like tuning in a faint radio signal to full clarity, the sound suddenly becomes so much more full, rich and if possible, more groovy. This track makes you wanna move. Whether that be moshing, headbanging or dancing around like an epileptic goth kid, doesn't matter, ya wanna groove to it.
If I had to distill the record into a single song, it'd be this one. I can see why they chose it for the album name.
The title of the song, and subsequently the album, comes from a historical book of the same name. A book cataloging the who, what, when, and where of the dead from the Black River Falls area of Wisconsin circa 1890-1900.
At one point early in the bands career they wanted to change their name to Wisconsin Death Trip, but the label said it was too long.
Trance is the Motion is a bit of a slow burn that leans heavily into the bands electronic music influences. The sound programming and ambient noise slowly builds, layering in with those infectious beat and a deep menacingly chuggy riff you're going to feel as well as hear. Wayne's vocals also slowly escalate. Starting at what is almost a stage whisper until they eventually crescendo into his trademarked scream. There's a lot of pay off for all that buildup and by the end the song is thrumming with ferocity. After all the fast paced tracks on this album this feels like a great wind down song for the record and leads perfectly into the last song on the disc, DECEMBER. A slow, synthy, ambient, rendition of a song from Static's previous band, DEEP BLUE DREAM, with Billy Corigan. (Yes, THAT Billy Corigan)
Even among the rest of their catalog, WISCONSIN DEATH TRIP still stands out as a refreshing example of a unified stylistic vision. Taking disparate components from the music that inspired them and melding the pieces together into a cohesive and catchy style. Dark and heavy. Yet groovy and fun. Abrasive, yet inviting.
Speaking of their catalog, if you can get your hands on the Deluxe Japanese version of WDT you not only get a bonus 13th track titled Down, you also get a second disc with some of their best B-sides and remixes.
Of Particular note here are the KILLER cover of Ministry's BURNING INSIDE (done as a back and forth Duet of sorts with Burton C. Bell of FEAR FACTORY) and SO REAL (Electronic forward almost techno beats and loops with chuggy guitars.
It's THEN; I'm driving. Windows down, music up, stuck in downtown traffic, but I don't care because I'm listening to WISCONSIN DEATH TRIP…. LOUDLY. Tourists be damned.
It's NOW; late night, I'm playing some video games and PUSH IT starts playing… it still gets me excited for that summer ahead every time I hear those opening chords.
See? I told you.
Music is Time travel.