Mushroomhead Gets Cinematic on New Studio Album

Four years ago, the local metal act Mushroomhead was hard at work on a new album. The resulting LP would be the band’s first release for Napalm Records, and the group wanted to make sure it debuted with a splash. The COVID pandemic hit just as the album, A Wonderful Life , was about to come out. Napalm still released it in June 2020, but the band wasn't able to hit the road in support of it.

“I think everyone had high hopes for that one,” says Steve “Skinny” Felton one afternoon from the band’s North Royalton studio that’s located in a rather dilapidated beige two-story building. It houses a space for recording and a space for editing video. The cow skulls hanging on the walls speak to the band's sinister side, and the gold records from soundtracks that included the band's music speak to the remarkable success it's had in its 31-year career. “We had just got it mixed and mastered. The issue was that you have all that brand new stuff and can’t go out and perform it. It was heartbreaking, but we weren’t alone. The label was really supportive and asked about other ways to push it given that we were so visual.”

At the label's request, the band released several music videos and then eventually began to think about tunes for a follow-up record.

“This time was a little different because we got together in short batches,” Felton says of the upcoming album, Call the Devil . “We’d work on different stuff during different weeks. It was not the traditional four months in the studio front-to-end to write an album. It was done in sections. And it was all very spontaneous. A lot of the time, it was just a mood. We’d be watching a movie or listening to some music or talk about what did over the past three weeks. Sometimes, it’s doom and gloom. It’s art. It doesn’t always come out the way you want; it just comes out the way it does. That’s the fun part to me.”

Thanks partly to the contributions of Ryan “Dr. F” Farrell, a longtime band member who recently went back to school to get his masters in composition, the album features some carefully crafted carnival-like moments in tracks such as "UIOP (A Final Reprieve)."

“He’s a clever one who can play anything,” says Felton when asked about Farrell. “He plays guitar and bass and can sing. He can probably dance and juggle too. He’s super-talented. He’s never short of an idea or a different approach. That guy is awesome and is very much in his roots when it comes that creepy, carnivalesque style. He brings that stuff to life, and it turns into The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Exorcist and all that type of stuff.”

The band once again turned to Matt Wallace (Faith No More, 3 Doors Down) for the mixing, and Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Epica, Arch Enemy) for mastering.

“Matt is into the surround sound stuff, so he tries to bring more movement to the elements so that keyboards pan and drums have more impact,” says Felton.

Felton's brother, former guitarist Dave “Gravy” Felton, who played with the band recently when it performed at Inkcarceration in Mansfield, came back to the group for the album and plays on the record. His gritty playing drives album opener "Eye to Eye."

“The first time we got back together, I said we should hang out in the studio, and he could check out some of the new gear,” says Felton. “It was the first recording we’ve done — my brother and I — in over ten years. It was just drums and guitar. We didn’t talk about anything. We just sat down and started playing. We went back and listened to it and heard a song. We built what became ‘Eye to Eye.’ It’s the first song on the album. The energy was just right there. The guitar on that song is heavy and even slutty. His styles are all over the place, from super sludge-y to blues. You can hear how much fun he's having.”

Thanks to singer Jackie LaPonza's soulful vocals, “We Don’t Care,” another album highlight, is surprisingly melodic.

“It’s really sing-song,” says Felton when asked about the track. “It has this giant chorus. It developed really fast. It’s another Gravy tune and has that super slutty riff at the beginning. As soon as he did that, we knew we had to do something with it. With that big chorus, it was [singer] Steve Rauckhorst. He likes that [Faith No More singer] Mike Patton approach. With all three singers being able to sing so well, it was [fun] to layer everything in and see who would do what harmony. You can hear the anthem in it. It’s pretty cool, and any chance you get to say 'we don’t give a fuck' is fun, although there will be a radio version of the song.”

Ultimately, the album embraces a cinematic sound that stems from Felton’s varied influences.

“If you close your eyes, the album can take you places,” he says. “It’s more of an art piece than a metal record.”

The album also represents the start of yet another chapter in the band’s storied career.

“I’m inspired by the all the other stuff that’s coming out — a horror movie or comic book, video games or subculture that has leaked into pop culture and is almost mainstream,” says Felton, who cites groups such as varied as KISS and the Residents as inspirations for the band’s theatrical live shows. “The biggest inspiration is knowing that I can make music and art for a living. I have always been a creative person, and I always want to be as creative as possible. I’m never 100 percent pleased with the outcome but always want to keep going. I’m excited that I get to do it everyday. It’s like, ‘What do I get to create today?’”

After the album’s release on Aug. 9, the group will head to Europe to play 12 shows in 12 days. It’s also booked a fall U.S. tour that includes its annual Halloween show at the Agora on Oct. 26.

“In the U.S., we’ll be getting into familiar territory, and some of the shows are in our backyard,” says Felton. “The show at Machine Shop in Flint, MI is already sold out. Some of the clubs are ones we haven’t been to in five years. There is a big excitement to get out there because we’re playing new material."

Though some props and visuals will be new, Felton says the costumed band will likely look the same as it has on the past few tours.

"There are some of the wardrobe changes and sometimes looks from videos," he says. "Mask-wise, it’s like Mortal Combat . We have to keep the characters. The graphics just get a little better.”

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