Hats Off to the Bull

iTunes Review

Even though one of the standout tracks from Chevelle’s sixth studio full-length is titled “Same Old Trip,” the Grayslake, Ill., trio is noticeably distancing itself from the same old sound that previously garnered it many a comparison to Helmet. The band hasn't lost that familiar rock power, but it's taking more successful risks here and throughout Hats off to the Bull. Melodic hooks take center stage in “Same Old Trip,” as bassist Dean Bernardini and his wife, Natalie Loeffler (sister to founding members Pete and Sam Loeffler), provide beautifully layered vocal harmonies to accompany frontman Pete's urgent inflections. The topically themed “Face to the Floor” opens the album with an anthem for the Occupy movement; a bludgeoning rhythm section and meaty guitar riffs hammer out the song as Loeffler rails against the schemes that sucker-punched the U.S. economy. The title track starts with a hushed approach and sultry feel before exploding into the album’s most dynamic and powerful song. Hats off to the Bull closes with the exclusive track “Indifference.”