first, that anybody could ever argue this is punk rock is baffling. it's obviously metal. like, this isn't a serious argument...
but, i could probably enjoy it passively if they'd release an instrumental version. i think i've been clear that i essentially have no patience for this kind of vocal style, so to have me point to the vocals as the primary barrier for enjoyment shouldn't be particularly surprising - i've made that point a million times already and will no doubt make it a million more. but, what's perhaps more surprising is that i'm not willing to give the record as a potential instrumental workout more than a passive approval.
this is brilliant, isn't it? meh...
if this was actually an instrumental record, it'd be full of pointless filler. a good ninety percent of the disc is just a couple of musicians fucking around, as clearly talented as they obviously are. as i pointed out back in 2013, it's actually fairly ordered and patterned, rather than chaotic and loose, but, in context, what that means is that it comes off as emotionless and robotic. it's more algorithmic than chaotic, really. there's a lot of sound coming at you, but there's not much to actually listen to, here.
the screaming should make it unlistenable, for most reasonable people. but, even if you take that out, what's left is really pretty middling.
so, the disc is overrated, and in the sense that it's been influential, what it's influenced hasn't been very interesting, either. it's one of a couple of records released near the end of the century that really did a lot to set rock music in the absolute exact wrong direction.
as an instrumental, i'd give it a C, or something. as it is, i would grade it much lower than that.
