Filter’s seventh studio outing sees frontman and sole remaining founder Richard Patrick reaffirm his dedication to early 90s post-industrial rock with buzzsaw guitars and unhinged vocals that have just plowed through the guardrails of sanity.
The familiar metallic chug and deranged sing-speak of openers Mother E and Nothing In My Hands suggests a depressingly formulaic rehash of Short Bus, but instead these tracks set dramatic reference points for the audacious experimentalism to come.
Produced by Patrick, Crazy Eyes erupts with jackhammers like Take Me To Heaven and the spectacular Kid Blue From The Short Bus, while boasting their most extravagant use of electronica to date. Closing with (Can’t She See) Head Of Fire Pt 2, an utterly breathtaking acoustic instrumental, Patrick creates a cohesive and ambitious alt-rock showcase.
It’s not always easy listening, but Crazy Eyes is Filter’s most inspired work in nearly 20 years.
