Ugly (180g) (Limited Numbered Edition) (Turquoise Vinyl) [LP]

"Ugly" is the second album by New York alternative metal band Life of Agony. Produced by Steve Thompson, the album marked a clear departure from the hardcore and groove metal sounds that characterized their 1993 debut album. The band dispensed with gang vocals and instead let Keith (now Mina) show off his newly developed singing. Mina's new, more expressive style sounds more soulful and perhaps more in line with the alternative bands of the era and fits perfectly with "Ugly".

Musically, this album is quite an interesting mix. In the first half of album opener "Seasons," Mina's vocals glide calmly across the surface, only to break out into higher notes with increasing frequency in the second half of the song. This opening track is a strong introduction to the band's new sound.

The album also features the band's trademark pulverizing riffs, as heard in "I Regret", "Damned If I Do" and "Fears", but the gang vocals and double-kick drumming have been completely omitted. Songs like "Lost At 22" and "How It Would Be" all feel profound. "Drained" features the earnest hooks and "Let's Pretend" is a ballad written for Mina's mother, who died shortly after he was born. The album ends with a rendition of "Don't You Forget About Me" by Simple Minds, which arguably started the trend of Roadrunner bands doing novelty covers.

The album undoubtedly belongs in the collection of anyone who loves high-quality alternative rock music from the 90s. The uglier, the better!

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