The artist that everybody loves to hate, Corey Taylor, is back with another gaudy offering. Taylor has showcased his versatility as a singer fronting both hard rock unit STONE SOUR (currently on indefinite hiatus) and groove metal act SLIPKNOT but it is his devil-may-care attitude that made him into such a staple of the metal scene. On September 15th, 2023, the follow-up to his first solo record, the splashy “CMFT” (2020), was released. Generically titled “CMF2,” the album came out on Taylor’s imprint label, Decibel Cooper Records, with distribution by BMG.
More focused, aggressive, and overall better than its predecessor, “CMF2” has its rougher edges and contrasting moods, nonetheless. The lyrics are not as self-centered as before as Taylor has penned songs that range from soulful and even romantic to heavy and chaotic, with a lot of influences in between. However, there’s nothing really new to be had here as the majority of the songs are hard-rocking pieces that benefit from Taylor’s harsher vocals while the rest are melodic numbers that balance out the album’s sound design. Besides, not every track is going to hit the mark and some will even grate the listeners but that’s kind of the point of artistic freedom, and Taylor was never one to shy away from being himself either as a musician, author, or public figure.
On the hard and heavy side, thundering single “Post Traumatic Blues” is a stand-out, not just because of its lyrical content that deals with PTSD and vocal delivery that channels some SLIPKNOT aggressivity, but also when it comes to the double kick drums and the intricate guitar riffs. The over-the-top solo and catchy chorus section need to be mentioned as high points of the track. Even if punk-influenced “Talk Sick” and “We Are the Rest” are both rocking good songs with some intense melodies and driving rhythms, I am not very sold on the words. However, if you liked “CMFT” (and LORD OF THE LOST’s “Blood and Glitter” album for that matter) then you’ll most likely jam to these songs as well.
In a more melodic vein, stomping “Punchline” is a groove-laden track with a rocking chorus and a nifty breakdown, thus being the heavy hitter of the album’s second half. The same goes for “All I Want is Hate,” a chaotic number that feels like an outtake from SLIPKNOT’s “We Are Not Your Kind.” The closer, “Dead Flies,” should also be mentioned here as it boasts a groovy drum pattern, subdued guitar work, and a great hook that could make this a real live anthem. Interestingly enough, these two latter tracks wouldn’t feel out of place on a STONE SOUR album. On the other hand, the upbeat “Starmate” feels more like a filler track as it doesn’t deliver on the same level as the abovementioned songs.
On the soulful and emotional side, the lead single, melodic rocker “Beyond,” set the hype for this album prior to the album release, being an anthemic song that would work wonderfully in an acoustic setting. As it stands, it’s a dynamic track with a nice guitar melody as its backbone and lively drums that complement the powerful yet heartfelt vocals. For as much as I like “Beyond,” the hauntingly epic “Midnight” is a definite highlight of the album. It boasts a vulnerable core and an incredible build-up that crescendos into a wailing guitar solo that gives weight to the candid lyrics.
The country-tinged “Breath of Fresh Smoke” is an interesting acoustic tune that makes for a nice change of pace while adding to the album’s diversity. It also has a wanderlust vibe to it that comes mostly from the chorus. On the downside, cuts like the melancholy “Sorry Me” with its anguished vocals and string section, as well as upbeat “Someday I’ll Change Your Mind” with its sugary lyrics don’t really hit the mark, beautiful as they may be on their own.
All things considered, “CMF2” is a bit of a mixed bag as it brings together some really soulful and honest tracks with some very aggressive and chaotic ‘80s-inspired hard rock numbers in a varied tracklist of acoustic and electric sounds. But then again there is a reason these tracks made in on his solo album and not on a SLIPKNOT/STONE SOUR album, as Corey Taylor scratched a creative itch by letting his influences and artistic needs dictate the moods of these songs, akin to many other artists’ vision for their solo stuff. Consequently, not everything is going to be a fan-favorite or crowd-pleaser but there’s enough good stuff to keep listeners happy and engaged with the music.
Written by Andrea Crow
Tracklist
1. The Box
2. Post Traumatic Blues
3. Talk Sick
4. Breath Of Fresh Smoke
5. Beyond
6. We Are The Rest
7. Midnight
8. Starmate
9. Sorry Me
10. Punchline
11. Someday I’ll Change Your Mind
12. All I Want Is Hate
13. Dead Flies
Line Up
Corey Taylor – vocals & guitar
Zach Throne – rhythm & lead guitars
Dustin Robert – drums
Christian Martucci – rhythm & lead guitars
Eliot Lorango – bass
Label
Decibel Cooper Records / BMG
