Slow Roosevelt - Weightless (2001) Rock/Metal Review

 Slow Roosevelt are a criminally underrated band! They are just as good if not better than popular bands like Disturbed and Drowning Pool (who came from the same area apparently.) Yet despite being around during the same time period, they are virtually unknown. In fact, the only reason I know of this rare and obscure band is the anime Dragon Ball Z movie Broly: The Legendary Super Saiyan (2004), which also introduced me to Haji's Kitchen and Pantera.

https://www.discogs.com/master/763454-Slow-Roosevelt-Weightless?image=15598708.SW1hZ2U6NzMyMjExMTU%3D

Peter Thomas has some of the sickest vocals of any singer from the era. He can croon like a more mainstream artist but do metalesque screams similar to Mark Hunter of Chimaira, another band with a fantastic vocalist.

Heavy, dark, emotional, catchy. Weightless is the perfect early 2000's hard rock album. This should have been blasting out of radios nationwide, it should have been featured in more movie and video game soundtracks. Hell, a song like "Silverback" could've should've been the theme song for a WWF/E ppv (like Drowning Pool's "Bodies" for Summerslam 2001.)

The album starts off with probably its best song, though the album's quality is consistent from beginning to end. "Boys Lie, Girls Steal", doesn't sound like it would be that great but the way Peter Thomas screams the chorus is pure eargasm. Truly one of the most underrated vocalists in rock history, not to mention the whole band.

Aaron Lyons comes up with some great beats while bassist Mark Sodders and guitarist Scott Minyard throw down some really heavy, groovy riffs. The guitars here gives me chills, it is a true masterpiece, my favorite on the album though "Silverback" comes close but no cigar.

"From Laughing Comes Crying" and "Piss and Vinegar" provide more excellent, catchy, headbanging material. I prefer the latter to the former but both are great.

"Comfort From a Bomb" starts with an insanely heavy riff. Thomas speaks softly before belting out some great screams. This song is badass my only criticism is the overuse of the line, "Hey man, where's my medication?" But that doesn't stop it from being an excellent song.

"Silverback" gives us some more heavy Pantera-esque riffs. In fact, they played this song right after Pantera's 10's in the aforementioned DBZ movie. After the first track this is the best song on the album and it's honestly very close between the two. That being said, I think this is the most metal song they did. 

"Audio Star Satellite" features some of Peter Thomas' best singing, this dude is amazing! How on earth did this band not become friggin' huge! It blows my mind. This is a twenty-first century all-American rock song.

"Mouth Wide Shut" is contrasted with heavier riffs and softer singing which makes a nice combo, while "Paperheart" rivals "Silverback" with its heaviness and ferocity. 

"Radio Drowning" finishes this perfect album on a high note. I love everything about Slow Roosevelt's Weightless. It is truly a gem in the history of rock and metal music. Five out of five stars, if you haven't heard this yet then you really need to asap!