Search - Screaming Monkey Boner :: Process of Assimilation

SMB: An amazing band that will warp your mind!

Michael A. Rose | Chicago, IL | 06/03/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although I have a great deal of respect for pure musical songwriting, I also have an enormous amount of love for the theatricality and showmanship of a band with character. Screaming Monkey Boner has a great deal of both musical chops and the ability to scare your parents through a carefully coordinated aesthetic attack. The band's sonic assault will crush your eardrums from the very beginning and leave you screaming for more, then turn around and pull out a nifty accordion solo, just to see if you're paying attention. This is the strongest attribute Screaming Monkey Boner has going for them: They are not willing to do whatever the record industry tells them will sell, these boys are in it to rock and destroy peoples' notions of what a metal band should be. Pulling heavily from industrial, mostly dealing with the idea of samples and programmed intros to songs, SMB quickly kicks into their trademark heavy sound and doesn't look back. On songs like "Boot," "Smash TV" and "Opinionation" they veer close to Slipknot territory with an unbelievable roar leading the band over some seriously dark and heavy terrain, interspersed with some strange and fun electronic moments, apparently added for flavor. The wonderful "The End... Tis' Rising in Squares" not only blows the listener away with some seriously powerful rock riffage, but also turns out to be quite hilarious, partially functioning as a cover of the "Tetris" theme music! "Watch Me Die" has the underpinnings of swing music, while echoes of other weird and interesting bands like Mindless Self Indulgence are found throughout the album as well. This is especially apparent on the wonderfully irreverent "Gloryhole," lending it the feel of a demented circus where all the clowns have fangs and carry guitars. Once you're locked into the ride that is SMB, you can't get out until it's over, and if you throw up, it's your problem, not theirs, but it feels so good to indulge in this guilty pleasure that you'll ride again and again. Highly recommended to metal, industrial and weird music fans everywhere."

These are my role models

Michael A. Rose | 02/18/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Screeming Munkey Bonner is good band. They are good. I like SCreeming Munkee Bonnner a bunch. The cd Prozac of Dasscrimintation is one of my all time goodest. listen and have fun braking yur neck on the keechen cownter."

Killer name, even more killer album

Dark lord of all that is itchy | Narnia | 07/26/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Imagine Dog Fashion Disco, System of a Down, and American Head Charge forming some kind of super group and you have a vague idea what Screaming Monkey Boner sounds like. As soon as you hear the primus-esque intro track (delaying the inevitable) you know you're in for one hell of a ride and the subsequent track (the process of assimilation) does not leave you disappointed in the least. Very jazz driven bass lines with metal guitars and drums, counterbalanced by some of the best keytar work and weirdest serj tankian like vocals make one of the most unique overall sounds. The vocal range on here is astounding from basic singing to half falsetto screeching to nu-metal growling, you are kept guessing as to where you're going to be taken next. Goofy but relevant lyrics and just generally awesome writing/engineering make this album an absolute must have. Best track is probably "watch me die""