Product Description

Up until Faith No More's third release, 1989's THE REAL THING, the San Francisco quintet was considered too eccentric for rock's mainstream. Unlike other bands of the era, FNM refused to be limited to just one musical style--the group was indeed heavy, but it also touched upon many other styles (alternative, rap, Middle Eastern, punk, funk, jazz, etc.). Butprior to the writing and recording of the album, the band parted ways with its longtime singer, Chuck Mosely, and hirednewcomer Mike Patton.
Unlike his predecessor, Patton wasa very talented and versatile vocalist who could easily adapt to any of the different musical styles his new bandmates threw at him. While it took a few months for sales to crest,THE REAL THING went on to become the group's much sought-after commercial breakthrough. The rap-metal anthem "Epic" wasa surprise Top-10 smash (pushing the album to multi-platinum status), while such other tracks as "From Out of Nowhere","Falling to Pieces", "Zombie Eaters", and "Underwater Love"were just as exceptional. Although the band had been waiting years for mainstream success, FNM decided to challenge itsnewly acquired pop audience with its next release.

Track Listing

1. From Out Of Nowhere
2. Epic
3. Falling To Pieces
4. Surprise You're Dead
5. Zombie Eaters
6. Real Thing
7. Underwater Love
8. Morning After
9. Woodpecker From Mars
10. War Pigs
11. Edge Of The World

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16951 in Music
• Released on: 1999-10-04
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the one and only, FAITH NO MORE
There is great music and great music that changed the way that I felt about music, Faith No More are one of the bands that changed the way that I felt about music, they really were one of those unique bands that just had that something special about them that I just can't fully explain.

I first bought this in about 1992, so I was a fairly late fan, although I had heard the singles Epic and From Out Of Nowhere on their original release, it was this album that really got me into Faith No More, it was also great timing as not long after I bought this, the equally brilliant Angel Dust was released (talk about musical heaven in such a short space of time). Like I said I can't explain exactly what that special something is about them but you know that you really really like a band when you have to have every official album that they have ever released.

This album is as good as perfect, there is not one track on it that I don't like and I can also say this about Angel Dust and the underrated King For A Day Fool For A Lifetime. Although I like the first Faith No More albums with Chuck Mosely on vocals, it is these with Mike Patton on vocals that is Faith No More at their very best. Although I miss Faith No More, I am glad that they quit when they did as it just makes them more special to me and I always got the feeling that they were making music that they wanted to make and not to be a mainstream success which is another bonus.

If like me you like all types of heavy metal and for some reason you have never heard of Faith No More, then I urge you to check this and the other Faith No More albums I have already mentioned, because like me it might just change (in a very good way) the way that you feel about music forever.

Life-changing!
This album (not singlehandedly I must say) changed the face of heavy music forever, remember when this came out metal was defined by the poodle bands like Poison, Motley Crue and Ratt and the thrash bands like Anthrax and Metallica - this opened the gates and they've not closed in the fifteen or so years since. Killer heavy guitar riffs, funky-dancable rhythm,spine-cracking drums, quirky keyboards (a definite no-no in metal up to that point and in Mike Patton they had the Platinum record topping on this particular aural trifle. Previous singer Chuck Moseley was a competent enough vocalist but wonderkid Patton could really sing - and grunt, rap, scream and talk in a creepy deep voice. Chart hits "Epic" and "From Out of Nowhere" set the template but the quirky instrumental "Woodpecker From Mars", cover of Sabbath's "War Pigs", the lounge lizard crooner "Edge of the World" and the ten-minute title track were the ones that made the album sound just as fresh and groundbreaking now as they did then. Five of the most talented (and criminally underrated) musicians of their generation putting all that skill and virtuosity onto 11 tracks that sparkle like diamonds and put almost everybody else's efforts (including most of their own subsequent work) in the shade. Proof that you dont have to actually like your fellow bandmates to produce awe-inspiring and seminal pieces of work. Utterly essential!!!

Classic rock album
The Real Thing was like a new beginning for FNM. The decision to replace singer Chuck Mosley with the young Mike Patton, whose good looks and amazing vocal range would here help to propel FNM to classic rock band status was a wise one. But The Real Thing also marked a change in their musical direction. The pop metal element was still present with Billy Gould's funky, slappy bass still giving them great style, but here the music became a little more complex, mature, even artistic in places - you could tell that more time and effort was afforded to each individual track and the overall album sound.

The album begins with 3 decent pop metal tracks, Epic being the most famous. Surprise! You're Dead! is a little metal gem with Patton having fun with the vocals. Zombie Eaters is a terrific metal piece with humourous lyrics, beginning with an almost spanish classical guitar intro before bursting into life with Jim Martin' unmistakable electric guitar colourings, distorted bass and some great rhythmic percussion from Mike Bordin. The title track is real highlight and illustrated FNM's new maturity, it is by turns rocking and poignant and along with tracks like Zombie Eaters, The Morning After and Woodpecker From Mars, gives the album it's arid, desolate feel (these tracks always remind me for some reason of the apocolyptic landscapes from the Mad Max movies). Woodpecker From Mars is another highlight, a terrific instrumental metal piece, played over a stripped down, classical sounding string (played on keyboards) melody. For me, this track is pure artistry, the rhythm section is truly awesome - Bordin's furious percussion and Gould's frantic bass slaps combine perfectly, but for me, the real artistry lies in Martin's guitar work throughout the track, especially at the 4 minute mark. The album ends with Edge of the World, a great, sleazy lounge lizard style track with dubious lyrics and gives a rare example of Roddy Bottum's piano skills.

Bizarrely, Patton's vocals, although perfect for many of the tracks, sounds a little flat when you consider what he is capable of. I assume he wanted to keep the album's style and sound consistent - he would later thankfully develop them for Angel Dust.

The Real Thing will always be a classic and is a showcase for all the elements that placed FNM in a completely seperate league to other rock acts - great versatility, style, tunefullness, a terrific sense of rhythm and each bandmember having true talent - it's quite rare.