Mudvayne singer Chad Gray has taken a swipe at the current crop of nu metal-inspired bands – saying "all new music reminds me of the same fucking thing."
Mudvayne, who have not released any new music in 15 years, reunited in 2021 following a lengthy hiatus.
In a new interview with The Underground Australia, Gray does not hold back when asked for his opinion on current bands inspired by the nu metal phenomenon that his group were part of.
He says: "Maybe I shouldn't say this, but I don't give a fuck. Because I'm me and I've got stuff to say, and I'm gonna say it. Music now to me, God bless them, new bands, but they sound the same.
"All new music reminds me of the same fucking thing. One band kind of does something, a hundred bands follow that band, then another band does something, then a hundred bands follow that band and sound just like that fucking band."
Gray harks back to Ozzfest 2001 – where Mudvayne were on the lineup alongside a string of nu metal heavyweights – as proof that today's scene does not match up.
He adds: "You had Slipknot, Manson, Papa Roach, Disturbed, Mudvayne, Drowning Pool – every band I just named, none of them sound the same. And I think that's why it was such a special time in music, because everybody was bringing what they were bringing to the table.
"You had System Of A Down and shit-tons of bands. And all very original and all doing their own thing. We were part of that. We were more progressive than a lot of our counterparts from that era. So we were doing our own thing.
"Just a lot of really good fucking music and a lot of people really digging into what they were. Nobody was fucking following somebody else. We just didn't see a lot of that. A couple bands here and there, maybe, you know what I mean? But for the most part, bands were doing their own thing and really pushing the boundaries, really challenging the listener. And that's what music's all about, right? It's individuality."
Mudvayne have a number of scheduled live shows lined up for 2024. See the dates below.
Mudvayne Live Dates 2024
Feb 14: Brisbane Fortitude Music Hall, Australia
Feb 16: Sydney Hordern Pavilion, Australia
Feb 17: West Melbourne Festival Hall, Australia
Feb 19: Adelaide Hindley Street Music Hall, Australia
Feb 21: Northbridge Metro City, Australia
May 09: Welcome to Rockville, FL, USA
May 16: Sonic Temple Fesitval, OH, USA
Jun 08: Rock Am Ring, Germany
Jun 09: Rock Im Park, Germany
