Faith No More

This commercially successful opus is not your standard metal record, and that's exactly what's so brilliant about it. From opener "From Out of Nowhere" to closing slow-burner "Edge of the World," Mike Patton and Co. cover A LOT of groove-oriented ground. There's the viral hit "Epic," the catchy funk of "Falling to Pieces," the spastic thrash of "Surprise! You're Dead!", the soulful urgency of "Zombie Eaters," the shape-shifting instrumental "Woodpecker from Mars" and the astounding Sabbath homage "War Pigs." Forget 1989; this influential album is still untouchably mind-blowing.

With rap, funk, hardcore, and falafel-joint rai seasoning their metallic stew, a new front man thinks hard about life and horror comics while under the influence of I hate to think what. "Epic," which old people will think is about the terrors of sex though it's really about the terrors of everything, and "Zombie Eaters," a jaundiced if not jealous view of a baby's world, delineate their generational chauvinism, and art-AOR keybs establish the depths of their cultural deprivation. Not as stupid as they sound--but do they sound stupid. (Grade: B-)