Bride

Item: Fist Full of Bees
Author: Brian A. Smith

Fist Full of Bees

(2001)

Reviewed by Brian A. Smith

Discogs Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label Absolute RecordsThe Phantom Tollbooth2001

alternative metal funk metal rap metal

Bride, a pioneer among early Christian metal bands, has returned with their tenth album, Fist Full of Bees. The group here portrays a lost generation of youth relying on drugs, gangs, or the comforts of the opposite sex, and pointing out their need for Jesus.

"Too Tired" opens the album, and is a rap metal tune that recalls Faith No More. "White House" presents a prisoner in jail, and contrasts his life with one who has accepted Christ, and the symbolic release from his own imprisonment. "Beginning of the End" is an anti-abortion rant done in the style of Primus.

"Dog the Nine" gives two options: Street life versus repentance. "The Bitter End" portrays a user's confusion in trying to overcome their drug habit, and is reminiscent of The Beastie Boys tune "Sabotage." "Jesus in Me" also paints a scene of street life, drugs, and ends with basketball players receiving Christ.

Perseverance in the face of peer pressure is the theme of "Never Thought About Going Back":

I never thought about going back
You never believed this moment would come
Cause you never believed in Him
Something terrible seems to have happened
And there's no time to repent.

Fist Full of Bees represents somewhat of a departure for Bride in that they leave behind their former hair metal sound, and embrace the popular rap metal fusion sound of today. At times they approach the sound of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More, Primus, or The Beastie Boys, but they don't do it as well, unfortunately. They follow the trend of fuzzy guitars and vocals, with distortion rampant throughout Plinky Giglio's production work. This doesn't add anything to the overall sound, and makes me wonder if they are trying to cover up a deficiency elsewhere. Given their previous body of work, Fist Full of Bees falls short of my expectations.

2.5 tocks