A bit of history on Mushroomhead… The band hails from the great state of Ohio, features 8 members (All have nicknames…), and was formed in the year 1993. The band is best known for its theatrical stage show, over-the-top appearance, and the ever growing debate of “who did it first” concerning the use of masks and various other similarities to the band Slipknot. This article/review will not even attempt to address any of those topics but will cover the bands first DVD release Volume 1…
First off if you are a Mushroomhead fan this DVD is a must for your collection, Volume 1 features backstage, in-studio, and on the road footage that will give you an insiders view into the band and crew. I found the footage of the band to be nothing but hilarious and it was nice to see the lighter side of a band that has been masked in darkness for so long. Although it is hard to distinguish who is a band member and who is not at times, the interaction between the members, fans, and crew is very reminiscent to the legendary Pantera Vulgar Video. The live footage of the band is as intriguing as the off-stage antics, the interaction with the crowd and the overall on-stage presence of each member draws you in, and had me looking forward to the upcoming tour dates with Dope (More on that later…) The footage selection and the overall production of the DVD was done quite well and features never-before-seen self produced videos thrown in to break up the craziness.
So… all this being said the best part of this DVD is when the band decides to take the stage, Silly String in hand, with bands such as Dope, Meshuggah, Lamb of God, Avenged Sevenfold, 40 Below Summer, Motograter, etc… not wanting to give too much away, but this footage will have you laughing out loud and wishing you were there to witness it in person.
As I mentioned above Mushroomhead has once again hit the road with Dope on the Jagermeister Music For Freedom Tour and well worth a mention due to the fact that all Military Personnel (with a valid military ID) will gain admission for FREE. This, in my eyes, is an admiral thing to do for those that have served our country during a time of war.
