CD SINGLE REVIEW
American Head Charge
(MERCURY - 582 962-2)

1. JUST SO YOU KNOW
(SHORT ATTENTION SPAN MIX)

2. JUST SO YOU KNOW
(CLOWN #6 (SLIPKNOT) REMIX)

3. REAL LIFE

4. JUST SO YOU KNOW (VIDEO)

American Head Charge - CD Single

[ BACK ]   [ MAIN ]

American Head Charge have lifted the song Just So You Know from their album The War Of Art for release as a single. It contains the title track in three formats, (a radio play mix, the much longer remix and a Video) plus a B-Side called Real Life.

They play crushing and classy nu-metal with speaker blowing power cords and vocals which alternated between full on screaming and more gentle singing, very much in the classic nu-style. Following the formula, Just So You Know is mid-paced and very heavy but also contains enough elements of melody to remain catchy and maintain appeal. Clown (Slipknot) remixes it on a second, longer version with punishing results. It's a slower pace but eminently heavy in a Korn kind of way, but becomes a little self-indulgent before the end of almost 11 minutes.

What would have been the B-side (on an old vinyl single) takes the semi rap/shouted vocal approach and is musically very similar to the downtuned sound of Korn but merged with the aggression and perversion of Slipknot. Sorry about the obvious comparisons, but they do tend to slap you in the face.

There is nothing new here at all, but it is a professional and well-executed regurgitation of what nu-metal has been about over the last few years. It's definitely bone crushingly heavy nu-metal that will excite the Kerrang! reading public but may not convince many others that this is anything than more of the same. But for those that like their metal nu, this single should give a sample of what can be expected from the album and an idea of the live potential. The tearing sinews, shattered bones, small droplets of blood flung high into the air, you can picture the pit now...

Rigsby (21st July, 2002)
Transcripts From The Downtuned
www.downtuned.co.uk

Band Website:
www.headcharge.com