Few albums of the nu-metal era were more technically proficient than Mudvayne’s classic debut, L.D. 50. Released in 2000 at the height of the genre’s popularity, the record brought together four distinctly talented musicians to create something exciting. Whether it was the diverse array of vocal styles provided by Chad Gray, the workmanlike performances of guitarist + drummer Greg Tribbett and Matthew McDonough, or the truly exciting talent of bassist Ryan Martinie, Mudvayne accomplished much more here than the obvious (and hilarious) origin of the BRBR DENG meme.
In fact, the album was far more than just “Dig”, the meme that song features prominently in. There’s a strong sense of emotional on songs like “Death Blooms”, a song that was written about Chad Gray’s grandmother. It’s also a memorable record because of how much ground it covers. Jazz fusion, death meta, progressive metal, alternative metal, funk metal, and even more esoteric influences all collide to make something that sounded like no other nu-metal album at the time. In fact, the record’s funk metal influences were a direct callback to a decade earlier, when bands like Faith No More and Primus were pushing the genre into the limelight. Any way you swing it, though, L.D. 50 is a classic record – whatever or however you want to label it, anyway.
