Mr. Bungle

Mr. Bungle is a name familiar to many a metal fan, even if they themselves aren't normally associated with the genre. Formed in 1985, they gradually grew in underground popularity even while vocalist Mike Patton was finding his niche with his other band, Faith No More (in fact Mr. Bungle was signed to a major label specifically due to Faith No More's success), and in 1991 they released the first of three albums that came to define their over-the-top, anything-goes style of wild experimental rock. From a metallic standpoint, they've always been on the outside looking in, one of those not-really-metal bands that metal fans like. That changed in 2020, when, almost twenty years after their initial breakup following 1999's California, they decided to re-record their first demo and release it as a proper album. Not only is the material far more metallic than the sound they later became famous for, the core trip of Patton, Trey Spruance and Trevor Dunn roped in two metal all-stars to complete the new lineup, those being Anthrax's Scott Ian and former Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo. The result, The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny Demo, is a relevation, chock full of crunchy, crossover-tinged thrash riffing, irreverent lyrics, typically off-the-wall vocals from Patton, and songs that hold up surprisingly well considering most of them were written around 1986. While unlikely to be a long-term prospect (at least in this style), Bunny is a joy to listen to and certainly one of the surprises of the year. Who knows where this band might go next.

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Discography

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