(RockAndMetal.com) (10/05/04)

Edited By Michael Bennett

LOS ANGELES, CA - "Size Matters," the long-awaited new album from Rock and Metal veterans HELMET, has finally been released via Interscope Records.

Due to a broken collar bone injury sustained by band leader Page Hamilton while mountain biking, Helmet had been forced to revise the album's release date from it's original date of September 14th until today.

Also affected were supporting tour dates for "Size Matters," which will now kick off October 20th in Vancouver, Canada at Richards On Richards - Helmet's first tour in seven years.

For the tour, Hamilton will be joined by bandmates Chris Traynor (guitars), John Tempesta (drums) and Frank Bello (bass).

Look for them to draw on songs from most of Helmet's previous albums, including "Strap It On," "Meantime," "Betty" and "Aftertaste," as well as from "Size Matters."

Produced by Hamilton with assistance from producer Jay Baumgardner and former Nine Inch Nails associate Charlie Clouser, the album built a critical buzz back in early Summer via positive reviews and nationwide airplay of the first single from the new album, 'See You Dead.'

"The song is about a relationship that ended in a nasty way," says Hamilton, who adds that "the lyric was inspired by the line 'I'd rather see you dead little girl than to be with another man' from the Beatles song 'Run For Your Life' off the 'Rubber Soul' album."

Two years ago, Hamilton -- vocalist, guitarist and founder of Helmet, was driving around Los Angeles with the radio on.

The jock on duty had just debuted the hotly anticipated new track from some Nu Metal millionaires. Immediately after the airing, the DJ opened the phones for comments from the listenership.

There was some expected best-thing-ever fawning, but what caught Hamilton's attention was the first dissenting listener.

The caller said the track was garbage and should be forgotten as soon as possible.

The DJ attempted to bait the caller by daring him to tell the radio audience what he was listening to at the moment.

The caller replied that he was playing Helmet in his car and explained how he hadn't heard any rock music that good anymore.

"I thought I was going to hit a telephone pole," says Hamilton about hearing the exchange.

"Seriously, it was just a shock to be acknowledged in that context. It made me feel confident about my past, as well as my future."

The "Size Matters" title refers to, according to Hamilton, "An obsession in (American) culture with higher, louder, bigger and faster. There are no rewards (or regard) for integrity and progressive thought anymore."

Hamilton has also reactivated the Helmet name with a lineup including guitarist Traynor from Orange 9mm, Bush and Helmet, drummer Tempesta from Testament, White Zombie, and later Rob Zombie's band, and former Anthrax bassist Bello.

Recorded earlier this year and produced by Hamilton with assistance from producer Jay Baumgardner and former Nine Inch Nails associate Charlie Clouser, "Size Matters" isn't necessarily a return to form.

Rather, it's an expansion of the vocabulary that Hamilton has built his reputation upon: minimalistic-yet-crushing crushing riffs, taut rhythmic propulsion, clusterbomb solos, and seething lyrical invective co-existing with a good melodic sense.

"In the past few years, I've been fortunate enough to be able to sit in the company of people like Bono, David Bowie and (film composer) Elliot Goldenthal, and I soaked up a lot of ideas from those people," says Hamilton, illuminating the path that got him to make "Size Matters."

"It gave me the confidence in my own writing. You listen to those early Helmet records and you'll hear that 'anti-songwriter' vibe I had going around back then."

"I was using my voice as a rhythmic instrument, with less regard for the meaning of the words."

"Now I appreciate clarity."

Over the course of nine years and four coruscating albums, Helmet was the vehicle for Hamilton's reductionist rock aesthetic, a vision that bridged the gaps between Underground Rock geeks, cosmopolitan art snobs and populist headbangers looking for a new fix.

Their 1991 Amphetamine Reptile debut, "Strap It On," helped define a brusque element of America's then thriving Underground Rock scene, while its follow-up for Interscope, 1992's "Meantime," sold over a million copies and helped lay waste to America's vacuous "hair metal" scene.

The band released two more albums, "Betty" (1994) and "Aftertaste" (1996), prior to breaking up in 1998.

Interscope/Universal Chronicles issued "Unsung: The Best Of Helmet 1991-1997," earlier this year, a collection whose parts still sound as fierce as they did on their respective release dates.

Despite the breakup of the band, Hamilton had remained busy since Helmet's dissolution six years ago.

He went to New Orleans to write songs with programmer Charlie Clouser down at Trent Reznor's studio.

He also did many sessions for film scores ("S.W.A.T," "The Good Thief," "In Dreams," "Titus") and worked on a rock guitar opera ("Transposed Heads").

In addition, Hamilton recorded with a diverse array of artists including California electronica merchants Uberzone, mutant trumpeter Ben Neill, as well as a four-month stint touring with David Bowie behind his "Hours..." album.

In 2002, Hamilton formed Gandhi with a bunch of friends from New York City.

The outfit played a few shows, but frequently ended up at the bar after rehearsals.

While all this was happening, America was in the throes of Nu Metal mania, a genre that owes at least some of its existence to the musical language Hamilton had developed with Helmet.

In the liner notes to "Unsung," Tom Hazelmyer, founder of Amphetamine Reptile, the label that foisted the band onto the world, nailed it when he said, "I think those bands need to fess up where they stole the sound from."

"You don't blame the guy who let E=mc2 out of the bag."

Having grown weary of traveling between Los Angeles and NYC to play with Gandhi, Hamilton put the brakes on the unit, and concentrated on writing songs.

Around Christmas of 2002, Reach 454 singer Rene Mata introduced Hamilton to drummer John Tempesta.

Tempesta's career began with him woodshedding in Bay Area metal band Testament, before being picked up to man the engine room in White Zombie, as well as leader Rob Zombie's solo career.

When Zombie said he was taking a break from recording to concentrate on film, Tempesta relished the idea of jamming with Hamilton on some of the guitarist's new songs.

Hamilton was still in contact with Chris Traynor, who played guitar on Helmet's "Aftertaste" tour, and asked him if he wanted to join.

Traynor, who for years had been suggesting Hamilton reconvene Helmet, jumped on board without question.

Hamilton was happy with the noise the three of them made in the studio, and started writing more songs.

A demo of 'Throwing Punches' made it into the hands of former Nine Inch Nails bassist Danny Lohner, who was the music supervisor for the film "Underworld."

That track was credited to Hamilton, and appeared on that movie's musical soundtrack last year.

Meanwhile, earlier this year, Interscope label chairman Jimmy Iovine called Hamilton. He wanted to speak with him about two things.

He first asked if Hamilton would produce acts for the label, to which he agreed. Hamilton's first job would be helping create a solo album from Bush vocalist/guitarist Gavin Rossdale.

And then, Iovine told Hamilton he would like for him to return to Interscope and make Helmet records.

"After all these years, I was offered the opportunity to have the band name I started with," says Hamilton.

"That's kind of hard to pass up!"

"Size Matters" is a powerful return to the kind of fury that raged under the Helmet banner.

Recorded as a trio with Traynor on bass, the disc features all the punishing riff economy Hamilton has built his reputation on, but instead of delivering "Meantime In 2K4," Hamilton has added more melodic parts for Traynor and Tempesta to drive.

Helmet 2K4 has all the vision and the energy level needed to stand out in these dangerous times. The disc's 11 cuts offer a plethora of sonic invention and punishing riffage.

There's the vicious big-dumb-sex of 'Smart,' the bone-snapping pit bull disguised as a C major 7th chord that anchos 'See You Dead,' the menacing chromatic scales on 'Throwing Punches' and the closing 'Last Breath,' which delivers a decidedly "old-school" Helmet vibe.

"Size Matters" is a rare thing: a record made by veterans who haven't mellowed with age, but have no reason to erect a monument to their past.

"I look back at those old albums with wonderment" says Hamilton, "like how we ever played 'Vaccination' without a click track, or why the snare drum sounds on 'Betty' are so high-tuned."

"The more you make records, the further you want to go from your previous work. 'Size Matters' is merely an extension of it all."

Bassist Bello also happily signed on to fill that very slot so Traynor could return to his guitar duties when Helmet begins their upcoming tour.

Hamilton is joyous about how the new disc turned out, and swears by the work Traynor and Tempesta put into it.

He is also well aware that some people will bristle about the absence of Former Helmet members Henry Bogdan and drummer John Stanier.

Bogdan currently lives in Hawaii and has left heavy music behind, while Stanier does time in two bands at the moment, Battles and Tomahawk.

"They were great musicians," says Hamilton.

"I knew back in 1997 that we needed a year off. We were getting on each other's nerves, but I wasn't ready to quit."

"People can hear those old records and there's a certain kind of nostalgia attached to them. But really, it's all about the vocabulary of the music," he continues.

"I think if you found someone who had never heard Helmet and played them a track from "Aftertaste" and the new album, back to back, they would think it was the same band."

Like every person who bemoans the state of today's rock culture, Hamilton didn't sit at home and bitch about it on an Internet bulletin board: he went out and redressed the balance.

"I still like rock music," he says. "I love to plug in and have the volume surround me."

"But there's not a lot of rock out there that's inspiring. There's still hope: I got turned on to the Dillinger Escape Plan, because as soon as you hear them, you can tell they give a fuck."

"They play with passion and not some vague notion of being rock stars."

"Part of the job of being a musician is to have respect for the past and help bring things along now, and do something special."

"Whatever's trendy or whatever the kids are buying, I won't be doing."

Upcoming "Size Matters: Tour Dates:

10/20 Vancouver, Canada [Richards On Richards]
10/21 Seattle, WA [Graceland]
10/22 Portland, OR [Doug Fir Lounge]
10/24 San Francisco, CA [Slim's]
10/25 West Hollywood, CA [Troubadour]
10/26 West Hollywood, CA [Troubadour]
10/28 Anaheim, CA [Chain Reaction]
10/29 San Diego, CA [Casbah]
10/30 Phoenix, AZ [Brick House]
11/01 Salt Lake City, UT [Club Sound]
11/02 Boulder, CO [Fox Theatre]
11/04 Minneapolis, MN [Grumpy's]
11/06 Chicago, IL [Empty Bottle]
11/08 Detroit , MI [St. Andrews Hall]
11/09 Cleveland Heights, OH [Grog Shop]
11/10 Toronto, Canada [The Mod Club]
11/12 Philadelphia, PA [North Star Bar]
11/13 Boston, MA [Axis]
11/14 New York, NY [Bowery Ballroom]
11/16 Washington DC [9:30 Club]
11/18 Norfolk, VA [Norva Theatre]
11/19 Raleigh, NC [Lincoln Theater]
11/20 Atlanta, GA [Cotton Club]
11/22 Houston, TX [Engine Room]
11/23 Dallas, TX [Gypsy Tea Room & Ballroom]
11/24 Austin, TX [Emo's]

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