Mushroomhead, (Hed) Pe

Mushroomhead - are one of the most unique and adventurous alternative metal bands working today. Known for their stunningly theatrical live show and artsy masks, this innovative band has forged new ground in the rock world and influenced many other bands to push the envelope and bring art into rock. Formed in the early-1990s in Cleveland Ohio, the band's combination of metal, rock and atmospheric elements has struck a chord with thousands of fans worldwide.

Mushroomhead have been performing incognito since 1993, when drummer Skinny founded the band. The band was meant to be a side-project so they wore masks to go unrecognized, but after only a few shows they developed a rabid and loyal fan base in Cleveland. Mushroomhead released their 1995 self-titled debut album independently and it went on to became an underground hit. This was history in the making because the band really had no proper distribution. Superbuick followed in 1996 and M3 in 1999, all released via an underground street effort. After the band felt its image and hyper-melodic, heavy style of music was being diluted by other bands jumping into this space, the band started to change their look to reflect nothing out there. After a brief stint on Eclipse Records, a move to Universal Records saw the release of XX (a combination of the past independent releases) in 2001 and XIII in 2003. The band's last album sold over 200,000 units in the USA alone. Mushroomhead released Savior Sorrow for the pioneering rock label, Megaforce Records (Metallica, Anthrax, Ministry, Warren Haynes, Bad Brains) in 2006. Mushroomhead released "Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children" in the Fall of 2010 and it debuted at #44 on Billboard charts.

It can be said that Mushroomhead's musical ascendance was a singular, original, aesthetic of eight guys decked out in matching jumpsuits and artsy masks, playing unbelievable, unsettling music. No other band was wearing masks and jumpsuits and purveying this type of ultra-melodic, ultra-dynamic music at the time – Mushroomhead sounded like nothing else. The band's merging of metal, atmospheric elements, rock, and theatrics mixed with a punk DIY attitude has inspired and spawned other bands. Even though Mushroomhead's music is rock-leaning in thought, the group remains firmly committed to pushing the envelope and trying new things. Influences range from the driving rhythms and breakneck turns of Pantera, to the dark melodies of Faith No More, to the atmospheric stylings of Pink Floyd, but all done in Mushroomhead style.

MUSHROOMHEAD DISCOGRAPHY

SELF TITLED – 1995
SUPERBUICK – 1996
REMIX ALBUM – 1997
M3 – 1999
XX{ECLIPSE RECORDS} – 2001
XX {UNIVERSAL RELEASE} – 2001
XIII – 2003
VOLUME 1 DVD - 2005
SAVIOR SORROW – 2006
VOLUME 2 DVD - 2008
BEAUTIFUL STORIES FOR UGLY CHILDREN - 2010
The Righteous & The Butterfly - 2014


Infused with the kind of conviction most rock bands just can't buy, and unafraid to take its fans from classic hip-hop culture to punk, to metal and back again, (hed)p.e. have returned with Back 2 Base X. One of the few bands that constantly reinvents themselves and their sound, (hed)p.e have once again managed to blend '70s punk and hip-hop into one infectious record.

Founded in 1994, (hed)p.e. (the p.e. stands for "planet earth") was the brainchild of front man Jared Gomes (a.k.a. M.C.U.D.), who aspired to create a band that fused the region's long-standing punk rock heritage with G-funk-inflected hip-hop -- a sound he dubbed "G-punk." After a bidding war between labels erupted, (hed)pe released their now classic self-titled debut through Jive Records, then hit the road with Ozzfest and bands like Korn, Static-X, and System of a Down. The band's sophomore effort, Broke, followed in 2000 and unleashed the Top 30 Active Rock Single "Bartender," while the band cemented their already explosive live show with tours alongside P.O.D, Godsmack and Slipknot. Returning in 2003, (hed)pe released Blackout and once again scored a big hit with the album's title track. Finally in 2005, the group rediscovered their "G-punk" roots for the release of Only in Amerika.

In 2006 (hed)p.e have once again re-invented themselves for the release of Back 2 Base X. Recorded live as a band in the studio, the album provides an organic, fresh sound devoid of the computer tricks and over-production that currently plagues music.

The band opens with the classic heavy (hed)pe grooves on "Novus Ordus Clitorus" and "Let's Ride," sounding like a bastardized version of Rage Against the Machine mixed with Suicidal Tendencies, then flips into the reggae/punk-fueled "Beware Do We Go From Here."

"We're not afraid to punch you in the throat with one song and get you stoned with the next joint we play," says (hed)p.e. frontman Jared. "We're down to prove that you don't have to bow down to the corporate suits in order to make an impact on music. I'd rather have true fans that stick around because they are actually into the band, as opposed to fans who like to be spoon-fed through the media."

Often the cause of controversy, frontman Jared Gomes has taken a break from his sometimes XXX-rated lyrics to get introspective and contemplative about his mortality. And also touching on subjects like Freemasonry and the New World Order. The album also introduces listeners to "Sophia", a metaphor for knowledge/wisdom that web savvy individuals find on the internet.

"The last album was a response to all the censorship I experienced with a previous record label and it showcased the dark-perverted side of humanity," he says about his group's last record. "This album reflects the side of each of us that is constantly searching for truth."

Back 2 Base X is (hed)pe's debut album on the lifestyle record label Suburban Noize Records. The California-based label is a massive independent success story, operating completely outside of the mainstream. The movement is an undeniable force in the world of underground music that has numerous major and independent labels trying to replicate it.

"It's nice to be on a record label that understands what we are about. Suburban Noize is the only label that represents millions of American youth that are just not feeling the whole pop-rock self-worship movement," says (hed)pe bassist Mawk. "This label refuses to be bought out by corporate-federal interests and so do we, which makes us a perfect match."

Already gearing for tours in Europe and Japan this year, (hed)pe is eager to share its new sound with the planet. With the band confirmed for a co-headlining run through the US alongside labelmates Kottonmouth Kings. The summer of 2006 promises to be the year of the (hed).

Through a cloud of smoke, (hed)p.e frontman Jared sums up Back 2 Base X with simplicity: "If you're already a fan then you'll love this album, and if you've never heard of us, this joint will definitely get you hooked."