| A Cruel World | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 29, 2005 | |||
| Recorded | Warehouse Studios Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 44:49 | |||
| Label | Bullygoat/Reprise | |||
| Producer | GGGarth and Bloodsimple | |||
| Bloodsimple chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |    [4] |
A Cruel World is the debut album by American heavy metal band Bloodsimple, released on March 29, 2005.
In broad terms, Cruel World's songs can be seen as falling into one of three categories, the categories being hardcore but commercially digestible nu metal ("Straight Hate", "Path to Prevail", "What If I Lost It", "Blood in Blood Out", "Cruel World", "Falling Backwards"), Alice in Chains styled alternative metal ("Sell Me Out", "Running from Nothing", "Flatlined"), and two softer alternative rock ballads ("The Leaving Song", "Plunder"). This kind of stylistic direction, to some extent, shows the record carrying on that of From Bliss to Devastation , Tim Williams and Mike Kennedy's main band Vision of Disorder's last release before its split-up.
The band’s debut record was recorded with rock producer GGGarth Richardson in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Richardson had previously worked with a number of alternative metal acts, including Rage Against the Machine, Slipknot, 40 Below Summer, Chevelle and Trapt. According to the band, Richardson understood the sound the band was seeking and did not attempt to "tone it down".
The record's production was a lengthy process, spanning approximately three years from beginning to end. After an extended period of writing, the band spent three and a half months in the studio. The basic elements of the album, including most of the vocals, were recorded in six weeks. After taking some time off, the band received an initial mix of the record, but were dissatisfied with the results. The record was remixed with more success by Mike Fraser.
The themes of Cruel World include war ("Straight Hate"), failed relationships ("Leaving Song", "Sell Me Out"), paranoia ("Running from Nothing") and drug addiction ("Flatlined").
The album's first single, the brutal "Straight Hate", was written about American soldiers fighting in Iraq. Vocalist Tim Williams stated that the song was about how difficult it was for the soldiers and that he wanted to write something where the words would help them through the day. Williams denies that the song is political, stating that he does not care about the Government's reasons for deployment of troops to the Gulf. [5]
The song "Flatlined," is about drug addiction, and was written from the perspective of a drug addict who eventually dies. Williams states that one of his best friends, who loved the song, ended up dying in the same way. [5]
The track "Falling Backwards" features a guest performance by Mudvayne's Chad Gray.
"What if I Lost it" was used as the theme music for Fuse TV's Metal Asylum .
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Top Heatseekers | 44 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | "Sell Me Out" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 39 |
| 2005 | "What if I Lost it?" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 38 |
Nu metal is a subgenre of alternative metal that combines elements of heavy metal music with elements of other music genres such as hip hop, alternative rock, funk, industrial, and grunge. Nu metal bands have drawn elements and influences from a variety of musical styles, including multiple genres of heavy metal. Nu metal rarely features guitar solos or other displays of musical technique; the genre is heavily syncopated and based on guitar riffs. Many nu metal guitarists use seven-string guitars that are down-tuned to produce a heavier sound. DJs are occasionally featured in nu metal to provide instrumentation such as sampling, turntable scratching and electronic backgrounds. Vocal styles in nu metal include singing, rapping, screaming and growling. Nu metal is one of the key genres of the new wave of American heavy metal.
Alternative metal is a genre of heavy metal music that combines heavy metal with influences from alternative rock and other genres not normally associated with metal. Alternative metal bands are often characterized by heavily downtuned, mid-paced guitar riffs, a mixture of accessible melodic vocals and harsh vocals and sometimes unconventional sounds within other heavy metal styles. The term has been in use since the 1980s, although it came into prominence in the 1990s.
Mudvayne is an American heavy metal band formed in Peoria, Illinois in 1996. Known for their sonic experimentation, face and body paint, masks and uniforms, the band has sold over six million records worldwide, including nearly three million in the United States. The group consists of guitarist Greg Tribbett, drummer Matthew McDonough, lead vocalist Chad Gray, and bassist Ryan Martinie. The band became popular in the late-1990s Peoria, Illinois underground music scene, and found success with the single "Dig" from their debut album L.D. 50 (2000). After releasing four more albums and touring relentlessly for nearly a decade, Mudvayne went on hiatus in 2010. They reunited in 2021 and continue to perform live.
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L.D. 50 is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Mudvayne. Released on August 22, 2000, it is the band's first release on Epic Records, following the independently-released extended play Kill, I Oughtta. The album was co-produced by Garth Richardson and Mudvayne, and executive produced by Steve Richards and Slipknot member Shawn "Clown" Crahan.
Vision of Disorder is an American hardcore/metalcore band from Long Island, New York, that initially released three albums before disbanding in 2002. The band garnered attention for blending melody and groove into a traditional hardcore framework, but its attempts to pursue an alternative metal direction on its third album were met with limited commercial success. The band reunited in 2008 and have since released two further albums, The Cursed Remain Cursed in 2012 and Razed to the Ground in 2015.
Chad Gray is an American singer, best known as the lead vocalist of heavy metal bands Mudvayne and Hellyeah.
Invitation to the Dance is the second album by nu metal band 40 Below Summer. The album was released on October 16, 2001 via London-Sire Records. It is the band's first record to be put out on a major label. Two months after its release, the label went out of business, and the album was re-issued through Warner Music.
Pass Out of Existence is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Chimaira, released on October 2, 2001. According to vocalist Mark Hunter, as of 2003, the band has sold 44,000 copies of the album in the United States alone. Pass Out of Existence features an altogether different sound when compared to the band's later albums, leaning more towards nu metal rather than the groove metal style featured in later material. Its heavy use of electronics has also been noted.
Violence is the third album by the Washington, D.C.-based alternative metal band Nothingface. The album was released on September 5, 2000, via TVT Records. The album received positive reviews, but didn't experience mainstream popularity, selling only 87,000 copies in the United States.
Bloodsimple was an American heavy metal band from New York City that formed in 2002. They were signed to Warner Bros. Records.
Hellyeah, stylized as HELLYEAH, is an American heavy metal supergroup formed in Dallas, Texas, in 2006. The band's last lineup consisted of lead vocalist Chad Gray, guitarists Christian Brady and Tom Maxwell, bassist Kyle Sanders, and drummer Roy Mayorga. The idea to form a supergroup originated in 2000 on the Tattoo the Earth tour, although plans were constantly put on hold due to scheduling conflicts. The summer of 2006 allowed the band to take the project seriously and record its first album. Recorded at Chasin' Jason studio in Dimebag Darrell's backyard, their self-titled album entered the Billboard 200 at number 9, selling 45,000 copies. They went on to release five more studio albums between 2010 and 2019. As of 2021, the band is on hiatus.
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Kill, I Oughtta is the debut extended play of American heavy metal band Mudvayne. It was self-released by the band in 1997. In 2001, the EP was reissued by Epic Records under the title The Beginning of All Things to End. The reissue featured, as additional tracks, remixes of "Dig", the rare unreleased track "Fear", and "L.D. 50", a 17-minute sound collage which originally appeared as interludes on that album. It is the only release by Mudvayne to have any participation from original bassist Shawn Barclay.
Union Black is the fourth album from Welsh reggae metal band Skindred. It was released on 25 April 2011 in the United Kingdom and on 1 July 2011 in Europe. The album is notable for featuring more usage of dubstep, hip hop and drum and bass elements than previous works.
Garth "GGGarth" Richardson is a Canadian record producer and music engineer. He is the son of music producer Jack Richardson, a pioneer of the music recording industry in the 1960s and 1970s. Garth Richardson has done music engineering work for the likes of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nickelback, and Mötley Crüe, and produced for Kittie, Biffy Clyro, Rage Against the Machine, Mudvayne, Melvins, Shihad, Kensington, and many others. He cofounded the Nimbus School of Recording Arts in Vancouver, British Columbia together with Bob Ezrin and Kevin Williams. The school was named after Richardson's father's production company, Nimbus 9, and offers courses in production, recording, and audio. Richardson has the nickname 'GGGarth' due to his mild stutter.
"Weeds" is a song by American alternative metal band Life of Agony. The song was released as the first single from the band's third studio album Soul Searching Sun.
