Faith No More

在新浪潮时期成立于旧金山的团体Faith No More却是一个不折不扣的摇滚团，他们的乐风势以重金属为基调，混合了放克、嘻哈，从今日回头看来Faith No More可算是Nu Metal的前身。虽然1985年灌录了首张专辑，可是迟至1990的专辑「The Real Thing」才真正为他们带来商业上的成功，这时候他们的主唱已经更换为Michael Patton，在此之前有一任主唱还曾经是Courtney Love。Patton当时最令人激赏的绝活就是在摇滚演唱与饶舌唸歌之间轻松的互换，他同时也是另一团体Mr. Bungle的主唱，可说是Faith No More合唱团中引人注目的焦点。1982年成立的Faith No More其他团员还有吉他手Jim Martin、贝斯手Billy Gould、键盘手Roddy Bottum、鼓手Mike Bordin。
 
1993年Faith No More的单曲 “Easy” 为他们在英国赢得空前的掌声，此曲曾高居英国单曲榜第3名，是该团代表作。 “Easy”是八○年代抒情歌王莱诺．李奇1977年还在海军准将合唱团时期的作品。Faith No More刻意保留的原曲慢板节奏蓝调曲风显得与其他该团作品风格迥然不同是最令人印象深刻的一首翻唱。
 
Faith No More原发行于2003年的这张精选中包含从创团初期的重击金属风格，到成熟时期的金属+放克的19首歌，除上述 “Easy” 外还有一首重唱 “War Pigs” ，它原是重金属团黑色安息日的代表作之一。 “Epic” 一曲是Faith No More的成名作，也是最能代表该团的一首金唱片单曲。
 
With their fusion of heavy metal, funk, hip-hop, and progressive rock, Faith No More has earned a substantial cult following. By the time they recorded their first album in 1985, the band had already had a string of lead vocalists, including Courtney Love; their debut, We Care a Lot, featured Chuck Mosleys abrasive vocals but was driven by Jim Martins metallic guitar. Faith No Mores next album, 1987s Introduce Yourself, was a more cohesive and impressive effort; for the first time, the rap and metal elements didnt sound like they were fighting each other.
 
In 1988, the rest of the band fired Mosley; he was replaced by Bay Area vocalist Mike Patton during the recording of their next album, The Real Thing. Patton was a more accomplished vocalist, able to change effortlessly between rapping and singing, as well as adding a considerably more bizarre slant to the lyrics. Besides adding a new vocalist, the band had tightened its attack and the result was the genre-bending hit single Epic, which established them as a major hard rock act.
 
Following up the hit wasnt as easy, however. Faith No More followed their breakthrough success with 1992s Angel Dust, one of the more complex and simply confounding records ever released by a major label. Although it sold respectably, it didnt have the crossover potential of the first album. When the band toured in support of the album, tensions between the band and Martin began to escalate; rumors that his guitar was stripped from some of the final mixes of Angel Dust began to circulate. As the band was recording its fifth album in early 1994, it was confirmed that Martin had been fired from the band.
 
Faith No More recorded King for a Day, Fool for a Lifetime with Mr. Bungle guitarist Trey Spruance. During tour preparations he was replaced by Dean Mentia. Mentia only lasted for the length of the King for a Day tour and was replaced by Jon Hudson for 1997s Album of the Year. Upon the conclusion of the albums supporting tour, Faith No More announced they were disbanding in April 1998. Patton, who had previously fronted Mr. Bungle and had avant-garde projects with John Zorn, formed a new band named Fantômas with Melvins guitarist Buzz Osbourne, Mr. Bungle bassist Trevor Dunn, and former Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo. Roddy Bottum continued with his band Imperial Teen, who released their first album, Seasick, in 1996. A posthumous Faith No More retrospective, Who Cares a Lot, appeared in late 1998.