THE UNDER COVER SESSIONS

by

ill niño

Edit

Earlier in the year, after their 2005 effort, "One Nation Underground," had received little to no support, Ill Nino announced they were parting ways with their record label, Roadrunner Records. It wasn't too long, however, until they found a new home in Cement Shoes Records (also home to their tourmates in Godhead and Ra) and recorded what is an undeniably enjoyable 5-track EP, "The Undercover Sessions." Proving they are still alive and around, "The Undercover Sessions" unveils two brand new songs and three covers tracks from the likes of Nirvana, Faith No More and Peter Gabriel.

Sounds Like: The way Ill Nino should sound.

The Good:

- The two new songs are more traditional Ill Nino, and in turn, are just better than the material found on "One Nation Underground."

- Despite being a quickie on an indie label, the production and the overall quality doesn't suffer.

- Chino Moreno, of the Deftones, has a spot on a cover of Faith No More's "Zombie Eaters."

The Bad:

- Well, since it's really good and it's just an EP, it will leave you wanting much more.

- It's a limited pressing, so you might miss it if you wait around for it.

Future: "The Undercover Sessions" is a great restart for the band. Where on their last CD they were starting to lean more into metalcore territory, it's good to hear them sounding more like themselves. The next full-length album could be one of the best of their career if they keep this up.

Personally: I'm not the biggest Ill Nino fan in the world, but I was intrigued by this EP. The covers are diverse and stay true to their original, and the new songs definitely satisfy. I will surely be looking forward to their next album.

Best Listened To When: You gotta get away from zombie eaters and red rain.