I'm so excited to find that Helmet is returning with another new album this July. Listening to this for the first time I've found that they stripped away all of the gloss that some of their fans didn't like on their last album, Size Matters. This new one is a raw fury and powerfully on par with their debut album Strap It On on Amphetamine Reptile way back in 1990.



A review, from someone else:

Helmet will release a new album on July 18th called Monochrome. Singer, guitarist and founder Page Hamilton has also assembled a new lineup of the band that features drummer Mike Jost and bassist Jeremy Chatelain in addition to himself and longtime guitarist Chris Traynor. Monochrome will follow up the band's 2004 effort, Size Matters, which was the first Helmet album since 1997's Aftertaste. Helmet used to share a rehearsal space with Sonic Youth, who has frequently partnered in crime with Wharton Tiers. “Wharton was my only choice to co-produce this project with me,” said guitarist and vocalist Page Hamilton. “Apart from the sounds he can get in his studio, he was also a major influence in terms of helping me shape my guitar playing.”

The first single from Monochrome, titled "Gone," will head to radio stations in late June.
• Helmet recently left Interscope Records for independent label Warcon.
• The band emerged in the early Nineties from New York and scored a platinum album with 1994's Meantime. The group dissolved in 1994 and relaunched itself in 1998. Helmet emerged in the 90's as an off-kilter, jazz influenced, deafening wall of sound band. They fused post-punk stylings with loud chords and lots of energy. They influenced bands like the Cows and labels like Amphetimine Reptile. Helmet will headline the Vans Warped Tour this summer.

Check this mp3 out guys:

Helmet - Brand New




Helmet: Tour Dates
06/17 - Columbus, OH - Germain Amphitheatre
06/18 - Milwaukee, WI - Marcus Amphitheatre
06/19 - Minneapolis, MN - Metrodome
06/20 - Kansas City, MO - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Lot
06/22 - Nashville, TN - Starwood Amphitheatre
06/23 - Jacksonville, FL - Jacksonville Fairgrounds
06/24 - Tampa, FL - Vinoy Park
06/25 - Miami, FL - Bayfront Park Amphitheatre
06/26 - Orlando, FL - Tinker Field
06/27 - Charleston, SC - Exchange Park
06/28 - Raleigh, NC - Alltell Pavilion
06/29 - Atlanta, GA - Hi Fi Amphitheater Lot
07/01 - Houston, TX - Reliant Center
07/02 - Dallas, TX - Smirnoff Music Center Lot
07/03 - San Antonio, TX - Amphitheatre Lot
07/04 - Las Cruces, NM - N.M.S.U Practice Field
07/06 - Phoenix, AZ - Peoria Sports Park
07/07 - San Diego, CA - Coors Amphitheatre
07/08 - Pomona, CA - Fairplex Park
07/09 - San Francisco, CA - Pier 30/32
07/10 - Fresno, CA - Save Mart Arena
07/12 - Ventura, CA - Seaside park
07/13 - Los Angeles, CA - Dodger Stadium Lot
07/14 - Sacramento, CA - Sleep Train Amphitheatre Lot
07/15 - Boise, ID - Treasure Valley Speedway
07/16 - Seattle, WA - Gorge Amphitheatre
07/17 - Portland, OR - Columbia Meadows
07/19 - Vancouver, BC - Thunderbird Stadium
07/21 - Calgary, AB - Race City Speedway
07/23 - Salt Lake City, UT - Utah State Fairgrounds
07/24 - Denver, CO - Invesco Field
07/26 - St. Louis, MO - UMB Bank Pavilion
07/27 - Cincinnatii, OH - Riverbend Music Center
07/28 - Pittsburgh, PA - Post Gazette Pavilion
07/29 - Indianapolis, IN - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Lot
07/30 - Detroit, MI - Co-America Park and Street
07/31 - Chicago, IL - Tweeter Center
08/02 - Buffalo, NY - Darien Lakes Fields
08/03 - Fitchburg, MA - Fitchburg Airport
08/04 - Philadelphia, PA - Tweeter Center at the Waterfront
08/05 - Scranton, PA - Montage Mountain
08/06 - New York, NY - Nassau Coliseum
08/07 - Old Bridge, NJ - Englishtown Raceway
08/09 - Charlotte, NC - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Lot
08/10 - Virginia Beach, VA - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Lot
08/11 - Washington DC - Nissan Pavilion Lot
08/12 - Cleveland, OH - Tower City
08/13 - Toronto, QC - Park Place

Used to dig Meantime in a half assed way. Was mildly dissappointed with Betty. Kinda lost interest after that.....

Betty is by far their weakest album. Such a disappointment to me.

What does this mean- that they're playing in the parking lot???

I used to think that too, but I recently found a new love for it. I like that it's so varied.

This new song is actually a real throwback - just like the review says. Totally Strap It On type stuff. Not bad. Not sure how much more of that I need, however - that's their problem, though. A couple discs of that is really all I need. SIO and Meantime fill me up good when I need it, and Betty gives me some variety in that sound if I want it. And I have some weird attachment to Aftertaste. I just like it. But this seems like it'll definitely be way better than Size Matters was.

I'm a Meantime / Betty guy. Love both records to death. Interested but not expecting much out of this one. It is Page's show, so I'll let him run with it.

For me, I'll have to hear it to believe it (and will download the sample later). Size Matters was such a piece of shit that it'll take some serious convincing and probably hearing the entire album first, for me to buy this one. I just sold back Size Matters, which is one of maybe 10 CDs I've sold back in the last 10 years.

I hope this doesn't blow, too. Size Matters committed the cardinal sin of being flat-out boring.

As far as them playing the parking lot...I think it's Warped Tour, & that's where the 2nd stage is.

I'm not feeling it. Leave 1990 behind, dudes.

Wtf!?

the verse sounds an awful lot like the verse for 'turned out', in terms of the time signature & feel.

My husband said the exact same thing. He also compared it to Tic off of Betty.