Thunderball

3.50

PICKMETER

3.51

HMB

3.70

CRITICS

band:

Melvins

release date: Apr 18, 2025

label: Ipecac Recordings

type: Full-length

HMB´S REVIEW

Since their emergence in the early '80s, Melvins have always been that raw force of music that never agreed to fit into easy molds. With a unique blend of sludge metal, punk, and experimentation, the band led by Buzz Osborne has consistently forged its own path, releasing works that swing between chaotic and absolutely brilliant. Not many bands can claim they influenced both grunge and alternative metal — and Melvins do it as naturally as breathing new ideas.

When I sat down to listen to Thunderball, I already expected something out of the ordinary, but the experience turned out to be even more unpredictable than I imagined. It felt like stepping into a runaway car — but one secretly driven by someone who knows exactly where they’re going. Each track seems designed to shatter expectations: sometimes with slow, crushing riffs like a steamroller, sometimes with almost comical moments, playing with styles and rhythms.

The album as a whole conveys a sense of creative freedom that only those completely comfortable in their own skin can achieve. It's as if Melvins are saying: "we’re not here to please anyone — we’re here to be Melvins." And that spirit of irreverence spills over every track. There’s no straight line to follow in Thunderball, every song is an unexpected turn, a corner without warning.

Musically, it’s a robust, heavy, yet unpretentious work. There’s no striving here to sound grandiose or polished, instead, there’s a drive to capture the moment, the humor, and the rawness that have always been hallmarks of the band. And even in the strangest tracks or most abrupt shifts, it’s impossible not to recognize that signature sound so unique to Melvins: a blend of massive heaviness and absurd humor.

In short, listening to Thunderball felt like taking a turbulent ride on a rusty roller coaster: uncomfortable at times, surprising at others, but above all, genuine. It’s an album that reaffirms what die-hard fans have always known, Melvins remain a unique entity in the world of heavy music, defying rules with the grin of those who have seen and done it all.

Review by Troadie - HMB´s Staff