Methods Of Mayhem: Methods Of Mayhem

Say what you will about rap-metal, but you can't fault the genre for a lack of inclusiveness. Last year, Vanilla Ice jumped on the bandwagon in a doomed attempt to launch a comeback as yet another angry white man taking on society. Now, former Motley Crue drummer and unwitting porn star Tommy Lee has been given the opportunity to attempt a similarly unlikely bid for career rejuvenation. Which may seem odd on the surface, but when you think about it, rap-metal and hair-metal really aren't all that different: Both prominently feature screeching guitars, both trade in shameless hedonism, and neither is especially enamored of irony or lyrical sophistication. Anybody even vaguely familiar with the genre should know the drill on Masters Of Mayhem: clunky guitars, half-screamed/half-rapped bellowing, plenty of big-name cameos, and virtually nothing resembling melody or maturity. As a rapper, Lee makes for a tremendous hard-rock drummer, while partner TiLo's sole qualification seems to be his ability to make Lee seem competent by comparison. Raging against tabloids, cops, and society in general, Methods Of Mayhem has predictable, nondescript bile to spare. But bile can only take you so far, and with the exception of nimble turns from Snoop Dogg, Mix Master Mike, and The Crystal Method's Scott Kirkland, that's just about all MOM has to offer.