Meantime

About

"Meantime" is the second studio album and major label debut by American alternative metal band Helmet. It was released on June 23, 1992, through Interscope Record. Although it achieved only moderate commercial success upon release, peaking at number 68 on the Billboard 200 chart in 1992, "Meantime" later gained recognition as an influential album within metal and alternative rock. It received positive reviews from critics and continued to sell steadily after its release. The album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1994 and has sold more than two million copies worldwide. The album's lead single, "Unsung", reached the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and became one of Helmet's best-known song. Music videos were released for "Unsung", "Give It" and "In the Meantime". After the release of Helmet's debut album "Strap It On", the band attracted interest from several major record labels before signing with newly founded Interscope Records for a reported budget of US$1 million. At the time, Interscope was a joint venture between Time Warner's Atlantic Records and film company Interscope Communication. Following the success of Nirvana's "Nevermind", Helmet was frequently discussed as a potential breakthrough act in alternative music. However, vocalist and guitarist Page Hamilton rejected comparisons between the band, stating that the group had been approached before Nirvana's mainstream success and that comparisons to other major acts were exaggerated. Helmet's music was described as heavier and more metallic than the grunge bands associated with the Pacific Northwest scene of the early 1990. The band received attention from both metal and alternative music audience, with their songs being played on programs such as "Headbangers Ball" and "120 Minutes". "Meantime" was recorded by Wharton Tiers on a budget of $25,000, with recording sessions lasting approximately two week. The song "In the Meantime" was recorded by Steve Albini and later remixed by Andy Wallace. Wallace made additional changes to the album's sound, contributing to its distinctive combination of a heavy, metallic guitar tone and a cleaner production style. Albini later expressed dissatisfaction with Wallace's mixing approach. The album cover features a photograph by David Plowden titled "Puddler In Blast Furnace Cast House, Steel Mill, East Chicago, Indiana (1979)", depicting a person in a white protective suit shoveling material on the ground. The album was released with two versions of the cover featuring reversed colour schemes: one with a blue background and a white-on-red Helmet logo, and another with a red background and a white-on-blue Helmet logo. To promote "Meantime" in 1992, Helmet toured as the opening act for Faith No More. Later that year, the band toured North America with Ministry and Sepultura, performing to audiences of several thousand people. During the tour, drummer John Stanier was injured in a road accident, resulting in Stone Temple Pilots replacing Helmet for some date. In early 1993, Helmet toured the Pacific region, including their first performances in Australia at the Big Day Out festival in January 1993, followed by shows in Japan and Hawaii. The Hawaii performance was Peter Mengede's final appearance with the band, as he left Helmet in February 1993 following disagreements with Hamilton regarding songwriting. A 1993 performance in Melbourne, Australia was later released on "Live and Rare" in 2021, Helmet's first official live album. "Meantime" was initially scheduled for release in April 1992 but was delayed until June. The vinyl edition was released through Amphetamine Reptile, which had negotiated to retain the band's vinyl right. The album became Helmet's commercial breakthrough, reaching number 68 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart and number one on the Top Heatseekers chart. It also charted internationally, reaching number 88 on the Australian ARIA Chart. It remains Helmet's most commercially successful album and is the band's only album to achieve gold certification in the United State. The album received generally positive reviews from music critic. Reviewers highlighted its combination of heavy riff, unconventional song structures and the contrast between aggressive instrumentation and alternative rock influence. John Franck of AllMusic described "Meantime" as one of the most influential and overlooked rock albums of the 1990, while other publications praised its distinctive sound and musicianship. The album's style, featuring Page Hamilton's staccato guitar riff, jazz-influenced chords and solo, and a dual vocal approach, became influential for later alternative metal and nu metal band. Alongside Helmet's later albums "Betty" and "Aftertaste", "Meantime" has been regarded as an important influence on post-metal. In 1999, "Unsung" was ranked 50th on Iowa State Daily's list of the "Top 90 Essential Songs of the 90's". In 2003, Kerrang! ranked "Meantime" 48th on its list of the "50 Most Influential Albums of All Time", and Rolling Stone ranked it 54th on its 2017 list of "The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time". Rock Hard placed the album at number 157 on its list of the "500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time". The songs "In the Meantime", "Ironhead", "Give It", "Unsung" and "Better" were included on the 2004 compilation album "Unsung: The Best of Helmet (1991–1997)", which was selected by Page Hamilton. Instrumental versions of "In the Meantime", "Ironhead", "Give It" and "Unsung" were also released on the 2003 promotional album "The Instrumental Music of Helmet (1992–1997)". .

via Last.fm

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