Fudge Tunnel Albums (3)
'Complicated Futility of Ignorance'
Release Date 10/25/1994
Tracks 11
Label Earache
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The final release from Fudge Tunnel, Complicated Futility of Ignorance comes off like a modern, slightly mechanized Motörhead, comparable to late Prong perhaps, but more dynamic and without any of the industrial gimmicks. This record drips with the blood of calloused hands shredded in an attempt to extricate every ounce of heaviness from the many angular and distorted guitar riffs. Not one to ever hold back, guitarist/vocalist Alex Newport leads his band (that also includes David Riley on bass and Adrian Parkin on drums) through one relentless and violent metal groove-fest after another. The quality is consistant throughout this recording, but the doom-inflected "Six Eight" and the ruthless opener "Random Acts of Cruelty" are subtle standouts. Fans of sludgy, extreme metal not yet familiar with the influential Fudge Tunnel would do well to acquaint themselves with Complicated Futility of Ignorance, perhaps the best of this group's many fine offerings. ~ Vincent Jeffries, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Getting a full major-label deal didn't affect Fudge Tunnel any in terms of what they did -- Newport still handled production and so forth -- but whichever Sony executive figured they had a radio hit on their hands was probably on some expensive crack. The tight, stop-start riffs and screamed, shouted vocals probably meant visions of Helmet's success danced in the accountant's heads, but MTV didn't come calling. Regardless, for those already taken by the trio's blunt, brute way around metal, Creep Diets maybe had a calmer moment or two in comparison to Hate Songs, but otherwise cranked up the volume and sought to take no prisoners. Opening track "Grey" gave a hint as to proceedings -- while most of the time it alternated between bass/drums/vocals verses and a crisp full band punch on the chorus, any accusations of Nirvana wannabe status were shredded by the massive go-to-hell solo pasted right in the middle. From there, the trio makes its way, and while things do sound great throughout, songwise there's not much variety -- hasn't hurt a lot of bands, perhaps, but in the end most listeners would want some sort of break. As a result, when Fudge Tunnel does try something different, it stands out -- the key song being "Don't Have Time for You." Smack dab in the middle of the album, it's a lazier lope of a song that still fits into the Fudge Tunnel approach (semi-buried vocals, upfront bass) that works despite not immediately beating in skulls, even with the fried ending. Jazzy drum fills on "Ten Percent" and the apparently Smashing Pumpkins-quoting "Face Down" give other hints of testing bounds. There's a definite sense of humor at play in any event -- why else name a particularly messy number "Tipper Gore"? ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
One of the exciting bands that came out of Britain's alternative metal underground in the early '90s was Fudge Tunnel, whose Hate Songs in E Minor appealed to thrash and grindcore audiences despite the fact that it is neither. Blistering, noisy items like "Gut Rot," "Tweezers," and "Soap and Water" are really too slow to be considered thrash or grindcore, but because the trio packs such a raw, jagged, punk-influenced punch, the same headbangers who were moshing to Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, Obituary, and Gwar in the early '90s also proved receptive to Fudge Tunnel. Punk's naked aggression is a major influence on this CD, which favors rawness all the way and is without a trace of slickness -- Hate Songs in E Minor was hardly recorded with Poison and Warrant fans in mind. But Fudge does acknowledge more mainstream rock with inspired, punk-minded interpretations of Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love" and Ted Nugent's "Cat Scratch Fever" -- in fact, the trio dedicates this album to the Motor City Madman. Hate Songs in E Minor is a reckless, in-your-face gem that fans of alternative metal should make a point of searching for. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
