Scheduled for release on June 28, 2011, Limp Bizkit finally made their way back. All along 2010 their official web site announced that it is “the year of the Cobra” and adding the fact it’s been six years since their last release, “The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1)”, the expectations were escalate pretty high. The downside of the delayed release might be that we set our expectations too high or some might lost their interest along the way. Last year, to maintain this interest high, Fred posted teasers to the songs “Shark Attack”, “90 to 10”, “Douchebag” and “Walking Away” and “leaked out” “Why Try” last April and “Walking Away” last August. On May 17, 2011 it was released “Shotgun” as a digital download, the lead single from “Gold Cobra”. On June 7, 2011, Fred leaked the second single, “Gold Cobra” and finally the standard edition album leaked out yesterday, on June 20 2011, four days before it’s earliest release date.
The standard release have 49.38 minutes and 13 tracks which included the intro entitled “Introbra”.
Standard track listing:
01. “Introbra”
02. “Bring It Back”
03. “Gold Cobra”
04. “Shark Attack”
05. “Get A Life / Interlude 1”
06. “Shotgun”
07. “Douche Bag”
08. “Walking Away”
09. “Loser / Interlude 2”
10. “Autotunage”
11. “90.2.10 / Interlude 3”
12. “Why Try”
13. “Killer In You”
Deluxe Version:
14. “Back Porch”
15. “My Own Cobain”
16. “Angels”
Best Buy Deluxe Version:
17. “Middle Finger (Feat. Paul Wall)”
Japanese Deluxe Version:
17. “Combat Jazz (Feat. Raekwon)”
iTunes Exclusive
17. “Los Angeles”
Limp Bizkit – Shotgun by Interscope Records
First of all: the cover is awful. I mean it. Last year they seems to had in mind a straight black cover with a stylized gold cobra on it, it was much-much better than this kitschy stuff which reminds me of the cover of some mediocre heavy metal releases of the 80s. Absolutely tasteless, I think this time Wes Borland just fuck it up the artwork. “Shutgun”, the first single was pretty convincing. I really can figure out what the fans actually expect while I’m not so sure what I did expected. While many people hate Fred “just because”, I like this guy and I think he’s intelligent, he wrote fucking great lyrics and he’s voice and singing/rapping style is quite particular. “The Prodigal Son”, guitarist Wes Borland is back with his catchy riffs and intense guitar playing style after some experiences with Big Dumb Face, Eat The Day, Black Light Burns, Fear and the Nervous System and a breath intercourse with Marilyn Manson. I was a huge House Of Pain fan, so DJ Lethal is a maniac, I heard some crazy solos by him live on the turntables, he’s just awesome! Drummer John Otto and bass player Sam Rivers are one of the tightest rhythm section and they always plays striking and colorful, so, the gold formula is back together, “Gold Cobra” have all the ingredients to be another great Bizkit album. The album was produced by Fred Durst and Wes Borland, mixed by Dave Schiffman and mastered by Howie Weinberg, it sounds good, maybe not that killer striking as “Chocolate Starfish…”, a few times the riffs of Borland – for my taste – are a little bit too hidden behind the drums, but generally, “Gold Cobra” sounds – once again – powerful and groovy.
Metalers probably still expecting another “Three Dollar Bill, Yall$” while most of the fans are looking for the new “Chocolate Starfish…” and they will be probably more satisfied.
“Bring It Back” starts with a classic Borland riff, the song have a kind of broken groove, they shifting from theme to theme, one is a heavier, while “Hod Dog” had references to Nine Inch Nails, this time Borland incorporated and twisted a killer Slayer riff, while the other has a rapping rhythm, but both benefits of Borland’s riffs. “Gold Cobra” is a slow grinding heavy theme with catchy chorus and some smooth exotic flavors, it’s gonna get ya. “Shark Attack” remains in the same “Chocolate Starfish…” perimeter, Borland bring his riffs over the “jump around” tempos, it’s a typical merging of rock and rap schemes trademarked by Bizkit. “Get A Life” glowing slow till the exploding bridge and chorus, the contrast of verse/chorus is great and efficient, it will be a killer one live, it’s absolutely catchy and Bizkit. “Shotgun” is built on Boland’s heavy riffings and Fred classic rapping, they shifting smoothly from the heavy theme to a flexible, balanced, rapping theme on the verses, the chorus will stick in your head for sure. “Douche Bag” comes with the riffing and pumping bass of Sam Rivers, doubled by Borland and the kicking drums of John Otto, Fred rapping hard while the band rocking even harder, well, at this point I admit, I really missed Bizkit. “Walking Away” is the mandatory ballad, Bizkit ballad obviously, it’s quite ok, but they kind of repeat them self, “Boiler” was much more heavy and rememberable. “Loser” is the second “ballad”, the funnier and catchier one, it’s quite minimal, but charming. “Interlude 2” is a nice play with the vocoder, Fred makes some fun of the “artist” singing exclusively through this “invention”, we’ve got samples from “Nookie” and it’s introduce us directly to “Autotunage” wich kicks just like “Break Stuff” merged into “Full Nelson” colored with the vocoder shifted voice of Fred, just like the intro said, they tried that shit over some heavy metal. “90.2.10” blow out really heavy than slow down to the medium tempo which balancing through the whole album, it’s another classy Bizkit them, maybe a little bit too classy. “Why Try” comes crashing but not surprising, it’s ok but still, it sounds like I heard it before. “Killer In You” close the set with another Bizkit merging of rap and rock,
I listen for at least ten times – till now – “Gold Cobra” and well, I understand the pressure they were under, the result is quite correct, but also quite predictable. Bizkit didn’t re-invent them self, but put together an album exactly as the majority expected. That might be good or might be equally bad. I love Bizkit and mainly I like “Gold Cobra”, on an imaginary scale from one to ten it’s somewhere between seven and eight, but still, it’s kind of slippery, leaving all of us kind of undone. I’m pretty sure live, songs like “Get A Life”, “Shotgun”, “Gold Cobra”, “Douche Bag” or “Bring It Back” along with their classics will make perfect matches, live Bizkit are mind-blowing and plays heavier and with incredible energy.
I think Bizkit tried too hard, so I will do the same and I will listen “Gold Cobra” for – at least – ten more times. Yet, I’m between loving it and being a little bit disappointed.
Limp Bizkit – Official Site
Limp Bizkit @ MySpace
Interscope
(photo by brushvox, June 2009)
