Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals
Choosing Mental Illness as a Virtue
Housecore / Season of Mist
2018
The second outing from Anselmo and his posse (well one of his numerous post Pantera outfits) comes quite a few years apart from their debut and features contributions from the entire backing band, unlike its predecessor, “Walk Through Exits Only”.
While it’s still pretty reminiscent of Superjoint Ritual, primarily, it’s more aggressive and chaotic most of the time, more black n punk, but at the same time quite instrumentally accomplished, and dare I say, even melodic – in its own paradoxical, twisted way despite its groove heavy nature.
Anselmo, himself, is almost in a permanent state of Tasmanian devil-ish ness, screaming his hungs out, shouting like a man possessed, singing sometimes, growling deathly groans at others, in a varied and genuine performance that borders on psychosis.
Opener “Little Fucking Heroes” punishes. The title track grooves and rips in equal measure. “Utopian” has Anselmo screaming his head off in a breakdown, “Finger Me” is black punk… there are actually some pretty impressive moments, throughout the album, but the ultra-crazy chaos that going on, doesn’t help to navigate. Ehm, well don’t drown, but let yourself be cathartically cleansed by this genuine offering of a man’s own disturbed soul and a piece of his mind.
While it’s still pretty reminiscent of Superjoint Ritual, primarily, it’s more aggressive and chaotic most of the time, more black n punk, but at the same time quite instrumentally accomplished, and dare I say, even melodic – in its own paradoxical, twisted way despite its groove heavy nature.
Anselmo, himself, is almost in a permanent state of Tasmanian devil-ish ness, screaming his hungs out, shouting like a man possessed, singing sometimes, growling deathly groans at others, in a varied and genuine performance that borders on psychosis.
Opener “Little Fucking Heroes” punishes. The title track grooves and rips in equal measure. “Utopian” has Anselmo screaming his head off in a breakdown, “Finger Me” is black punk… there are actually some pretty impressive moments, throughout the album, but the ultra-crazy chaos that going on, doesn’t help to navigate. Ehm, well don’t drown, but let yourself be cathartically cleansed by this genuine offering of a man’s own disturbed soul and a piece of his mind.