Meantime (album)

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Meantime
Studio album by Helmet
Released	June 23, 1992
Recorded	December 1991 – February 1992 in New York City
Genre	Alternative metal, Post-hardcore, Noise rock
Length	36:56
Label	Interscope Records
Producer	Helmet
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Rolling Stone link
Helmet chronology
Strap It On (1990) Meantime (1992) Betty (1994)

Meantime is the second album and major-label debut by Helmet, released in 1992 on Interscope. They had recently signed to Interscope for a reported $1 million.

While the band was never a huge commercial success (Meantime is the only Helmet album to go Gold in the U.S.), the sound of this album, with Page Hamilton's staccato riffs, jazz-influenced chords and solos, and dual-voice singing style, proved influential to both post-grunge bands and later alternative metal bands such as Deftones. "Unsung" remains Helmet's best-known song; its video was aired on MTV in the early 1990s, and it was on the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas soundtrack, as well as the PlayStation 2 game Guitar Hero. Music videos were also made for "Give It" and "In The Meantime".

The album may be found with one of two reversely-colored covers; one has a blue background with a white-on-red Helmet logo, the other has a red background with a white-on-blue Helmet logo (pictured at right). The cover image is of a man in a white protective suit shoveling some substance on the ground.

The song "In The Meantime" was recorded by Steve Albini and later remixed by Andy Wallace. The contrast between Wallace's style of mixing, which involves (among other things) triggered samples (leading to the album's distinctive half wood, half metal snare drum sound), and Albini's style of recording, irritated Albini. Later, when in negotiations to record Nirvana's In Utero, he stipulated a clause be added to his contract stating that Wallace would not be allowed to remix the album. (Wallace had mixed Nevermind.)

[edit] Track listing

(All songs written by Page Hamilton)

1. "In the Meantime" – 3:08
2. "Ironhead" – 3:22
3. "Give It" – 4:17
4. "Unsung" – 3:57
5. "Turned Out" – 4:14
6. "He Feels Bad" – 4:03
7. "Better" – 3:10
8. "You Borrowed" – 3:45
9. "FBLA II" – 3:22
10. "Role Model" – 3:35

[edit] Chart positions

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1992	The Billboard 200	68
1992	Top Heatseekers	1

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1992	"Unsung"	Modern Rock Tracks	29
1992	"Unsung"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	32

[edit] Personnel

• Peter Mengede - Guitar
• Henry Bogdan - Bass
• Page Hamilton - Guitar, Vocals
• John Stanier - Drums

• Steve Sisco - Assistant Mix Engineer
• Steve Albini - Recording, "In The Meantime"
• Wharton Tiers - Engineer
• Andy Wallace - Mixing
• Howie Weinberg - Mastering

v • d • e Helmet Page Hamilton • Dan Beeman • Kyle Stevenson • Jon Fuller Peter Mengede • Rob Echeverria • Chris Traynor • Henry Bogdan • John Stanier • Frank Bello • John Tempesta • Mike Jost • Jeremy Chatelain • Jimmy Thompson Studio albums Strap It On (1990) • Meantime (1992) • Betty (1994) • Aftertaste (1997) • Size Matters (2004) • Monochrome (2006) Other releases Born Annoying (1995) • Unsung: The Best of Helmet (1991–1997) (2004) Singles "Born Annoying" • "Bad Mood" • "Blacktop" • "Unsung" • "Give It" • "In The Meantime" • "Primitive/Born Annoying 1993" • "Just Another Victim" (collaboration with House of Pain) • "Milquetoast" • "Biscuits For Smut" • "Wilma's Rainbow" • "Exactly What You Wanted" • "Like I Care" • "See You Dead" • "Unwound" - 2004 • "Smart" • "Gone" • "Monochrome" • "Money Shot" Labels Amphetamine Reptile • Interscope • Warcon Related bands Adair • Anthrax • Band of Susans • Biohazard • The Cult • Disturbing the Peace • Exodus • Testament • Tomahawk • White Zombie