The Melvins have spent decades making slow, heavy rock records that refuse to hurry. Hold It In, released in 2014, is a double album built around a lineup experiment: the Surfers, a side project, join the band across half the record. It is a solid, if not outstanding, entry in their catalog, and it plays like a band comfortable with its own sound even as it reaches for something new.
The record runs 53 minutes across 12 tracks, split between the two bands. It does not try to remake the Melvins; it tries to add to them. The critical response was generally favorable, though none of it suggested the band had reached new heights. Metacritic puts the album at 72 out of 100, and that number feels about right.
Bride of Crankenstein Opens the Record
The album starts with “Bride of Crankenstein,” a track that sets the tone immediately. It is heavy, slow, and funny in the way the Melvins do best. The song earns its place as one of the tracks critics singled out, and it remains the strongest opener the band has ever put out.
“You Can Make Me Wait” follows at the same length, and it is competent but forgettable. It does not embarrass the record, but it does not elevate it either.
“Brass Cupcake” picks the pace back up. It is a short, sharp burst of riff-driven energy that critics also flagged as one of the standouts. The Surfers’ presence is audible here, and the track benefits from their contributions.
Barcelonian Horseshoe Pit Through Onions Make the Milk Taste Bad
“Barcelonian Horseshoe Pit” stretches past four minutes and slows things down again. It is not bad, but it is also not essential. The song drifts without finding a hook, and it is the kind of track that listeners skip over once the novelty of its title wears off.
“Onions Make the Milk Taste Bad” is the longest track on the first half of the record, and it is the clear highlight of that stretch. It builds slowly, layering riffs until the final minute delivers a payoff that critics noted. This is the song that makes the album’s middle section worthwhile.
“Eyes on You” closes the first half of the record, and it is a tight, muscular track that holds its own against the slower material around it. It is one of the tracks critics singled out, and it stands as proof that the Melvins can still write a hook when they want to.
Sesame Street Meat Through The Bunk Up
“Sesame Street Meat” is a short, blunt track that does not overstay its welcome. It is not a standout, but it fits the album’s sense of humor well enough to earn a place.
“Nine Yards” is the shortest track on the record, clocking in at just over two minutes. It is a quick, dirty punk blast that breaks up the heaviness around it. It is not a great song, but it is a fun one.
“The Bunk Up” is the longest track on the album at seven minutes and thirty-five seconds. It is a slow, doom-laden crawl that shows off the band’s ability to sustain a groove. It is not a highlight, but it is a solid piece of work.
I Get Along (Hollow Moon) and Piss Pisstopherson
“I Get Along (Hollow Moon)” is a brief, moody track that leans on the Surfers’ atmospheric sound. It is not a standout, but it sets up the final stretch well.
“Piss Pisstopherson” is a shorter, nastier track that returns the album to its roots. It is not a great song, but it is a satisfying one.
House of Gasoline Closes the Record
“House of Gasoline” is the closer, and it is the longest track on the album at twelve minutes and eleven seconds. It is a sprawling, chaotic epic that brings the Surfers’ influence to the foreground. It is not a perfect track, but it is ambitious, and it rewards patience.
The record is at its best when the Melvins lean into their own sound while letting the Surfers color the edges. “Bride of Crankenstein,” “Onions Make the Milk Taste Bad,” and “Brass Cupcake” are the clearest examples of that balance working. The slower, more atmospheric tracks like “Barcelonian Horseshoe Pit” and “The Bunk Up” are less successful, but they do not sink the record either.
The critical consensus is that the lineup experiment did not stray too far from the familiar heavy sound. That is accurate, and it is also the album’s strength. The Melvins are not trying to change the game here; they are trying to make a good record, and they mostly succeed.
What Works Best
The album’s strongest moments are easy to identify:
- “Bride of Crankenstein” opens the record with a heavy, funny statement
- “Onions Make the Milk Taste Bad” builds slowly to a rewarding payoff
- “Brass Cupcake” delivers a short, sharp burst of riff-driven energy
- “Eyes on You” proves the band can still write a hook
These tracks carry the record, and they justify the experiment that produced it.
The Verdict
Hold It In is a solid entry in the Melvins’ catalog, and it is their best work since their last great album. It does not reach the heights of their best records, but it does not need to. The lineup experiment adds texture without changing the core of what the band does, and the Surfers’ contributions are audible throughout the record.
The record’s highlights are strong enough to justify the listen, and the weaker tracks are short enough to skip. It is not a masterpiece, but it is a good one. The Metacritic score of 72 out of 100 reflects that, and it is the right call.
The album is worth hearing for the three tracks that critics singled out, and worth owning for the rest of the record’s consistency. It is not the band’s best work, but it is a solid addition to their catalog.
72 of 100.
- Bride of Crankenstein2:49
- You Can Make Me Wait2:49
- Brass Cupcake3:24
- Barcelonian Horseshoe Pit4:22
- Onions Make the Milk Taste Bad5:01
- Eyes on You3:24
- Sesame Street Meat3:28
- Nine Yards2:29
- The Bunk Up7:35
- I Get Along (Hollow Moon)2:35
- Piss Pisstopherson2:58
- House of Gasoline12:11
