Painted like DayGlo demons, the members of Mudvayne once boasted such rock monikers as Kud and Spüg. They've since lost the makeup and changed their metal names to the Brady-style Chad, Greg, Ryan, and Matt. The video for the power ballad "World So Cold" saw them making serious faces into the camera while sporting goatees -- the style of facial hair most associated with existentially rooted authenticity. The band's new single, "Fucking Determined," showcases its ongoing dedication to serious issues, trotting out the most tiresome subject in the history of rock: how difficult it is to be a rock star. Apparently, when you paint yourself up like a krazy klown, people don't give you cred for being a Serious Musician. And it's cred the Mudvayne bandmates deserve.
On big singles "Dig" and "Not Falling," the group plays with breakneck speed and mathematical precision, flashing all the technique of such modern-day prog-rockers as Tool, with only half the pretense and none of the bloat. Still, its albums have yet to capture the adrenalized fury on display in the live sets. For a free taste, check out the spotlight on Fuse's Uranium (it seems to rerun at least once a week), which features live footage that makes the album mixes sound like overpolished demos. Though the new Lost and Found won't be released until April, the 'Vayne is previewing it by doing the one thing that might help the bandmates survive the 15 minutes of fame they're complaining about: ripping up some clubs.
