Madhouse Productions - 1991
7.5/10
Well, I finally found it. Something that equally feels traditional heavy metal, glam metal, and a taste of grunge without any of them oiling the water and refusing to mesh. At a glance, I more or less pictured Detroit's Madhouse to be a late-to-the-game Anthrax ripoff that serves a purpose but a purpose few find any need for. But tease my hair and hand me a flannel, because the debut self-titled record managed to make a sound that Alice In Chains could have morphed into but ultimately didn't. That's not a complaint, because I'm glad we got what we did with them, but perhaps this fills the gap I never knew was even there.
Musically, Madhouse aren't even writing anything riveting. In terms of the first record's mechanics, it plays like a KISS record that opts for more metal-oriented riffing without losing the catchiness, sleaze, or rock 'n roll undertow. The solos are pretty to-the-point, no weird formats or vague ideas are really used, and without paying much attention, you get your basic VHS metal band that may stand in for a scene on a trashy horror film. But it isn't deeper details that require close attention to catch what makes this feel interesting.
Rather, it's literally the vibes. There's no doubt that the earlier NWOBHM acts work as a template, if the production, attitude, and sheer heat are anything to go off of. But equally, tracks like "Keep It Hush" and "I'll Be Back For More" would fit in perfectly on a Ratt or Van Halen record, not simply because of the sexual aromas but because of the delivery. Under all this grit and must is what could pass for pop choruses and biker riffs that manage to not feel uneven. And if that wasn't enough, the grungier aspect works into tracks like "Need A Girl," an acoustic kick-started number that gives the slightest Eddie Vedder snarl. The hella corny "Blood Is Thicker" also feels like it predicted the decade; 1991 was only the beginning of this movement, but Madhouse seemed to have an idea of what was to come.
Much like John Carpenter's Prince Of Darkness, it's vibes alone that sells me on this. The songwriting is just fine, sometimes even stupid, being familiar enough to scratch the right itch when in the right mood. But the delivery has me so stunned. The fact that all of this exists on the same work and doesn't feel extremely awkward or forced, but instead charming is wild. You can only take a band with a song titled "Shake Your T-N-A" so seriously, but if any of this weirdness tickles your fancy in any capacity, I say it's worth hearing just once.
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