Invitation to the Dance (album)
| Invitation to the Dance | ||||
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| Released | October 16, 2001 | |||
| Recorded | March–May 2001 | |||
| Studio | Cello & Sound City, Los Angeles | |||
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| Length | 46:05 | |||
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| Producer | ||||
| 40 Below Summer chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Invitation to the Dance | ||||
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Invitation to the Dance is the second album by nu metal band 40 Below Summer. The album was released on October 16, 2001 via London-Sire Records. It is the band's first record to be put out on a major label. Two months after its release, the label went out of business, and the album was re-issued through Warner Music.
Background[edit]
Formed in 1998, 40 Below Summer had made a name for themselves by performing heavily across their native New Jersey and New York.[3] In late 2000, the band's self-released CD Side Show Freaks found its way to No Name Management (known for acts such as Slipknot and Mudvayne).[3] After partnering with No Name, numerous record label showcases on both coasts followed, with up to fifteen prominent labels showing interest in the band.[3] They eventually signed with Warner Music Group's London-Sire.[3]
In March 2001, 40 Below Summer travelled to Los Angeles to commence recording their major label debut with famed heavy metal producer GGGarth (Rage Against the Machine, Mudvayne, Kittie).[3] Lead guitarist Jordan Plingos recalled in 2001 "I think the first thing that we clicked with Garth about was that he was relaxed. He wasn't like, 'let's go, guys, let's go!' He was more like, 'get comfortable, get settled in.' His whole thing is bringing out the best in you, so pressuring you to do something doesn't help. He was all about us, which was amazing."[3] Vocalist Max Illidge said in 2002 "he’s a lot of fun. He’s crazy too. Definitely a crazy little fucker, but he’s a lot of fun and a very talented guy. He definitely helped unlock some doors inside of me."[4] The band had never been to California prior to recording Invitation to the Dance, with rhythm guitarist Joey D'Amico recalling in 2021, "the vibe there was very relaxed, and we're from New York, so we thought everybody there was weird, we're like 'why are they so nice? why is everybody so happy?'".[5]
Promotion and artwork[edit]
No conceptual music videos ended up being made to promote Invitation to the Dance, in part due to issues with the band's troubled label London-Sire. Despite being one of the heavier songs on the album, "Falling Down" received moderate airplay, leading to it initially being considered. Max Illidge stated in 2002 "We could have made a video for it and maybe if the video was shocking enough it would have given us a bigger push, but London-Sire just decided to scrap "Falling Down" and go with "Wither Away" for the video. I mean we were literally going to leave in like a few days to shoot the video for ‘Wither Away" — en route to LA — we had the plane tickets and the actresses schedules and just all that, and we were about three days away from the day of shooting and we got the phone call that we weren’t doing it and they were going to wait until early next year, but we knew that they were folding. We are not ever going to get that video."[4] A live video for "Rope" was eventually created. Shortly before Invitation to the Dance was released, an electronic press kit for the album was also made, which shows the band members speaking to an actress playing a fortune teller.[6]
The elderly man on the album cover also appeared in the 2000 music video for the 3 Doors Down song "Kryptonite."[7] The artwork concept was conceived by the band members and created by Los Angeles-based t42design.
Music and influences[edit]
The album combines the downtuned riffs of nu metal/alternative metal with elements of New Jersey hardcore, hip hop, jazz and hard rock.[2] Regarding the album's sound, Joey D'Amico remarked in September 2001 that "the music is definitely emotional, but its hardcore in its roots".[6] D'Amico and Illidge had parents who were both musicians, and as such were influenced by a variety of non-rock musical styles growing up.[5] While the band dislikes being put into the nu metal category, D'Amico noted in 2021 they were influenced by bands associated with the movement, including Korn, Slipknot, Sevendust, Incubus, early Deftones and Limp Bizkit's first album Three Dollar Bill, Y'all.[5] Prior to discovering these bands, they were also influenced by 90s alternative bands such as Soundgarden and The Smashing Pumpkins, as well as British metal and thrash metal bands such as Iron Maiden, Def Leopard, Exodus and Testament.[5]
Songs such as "Falling Down" and "Rejection" feature a volatile brand of singing which frequently alternates between melodic crooning, rapping and more extreme vocal stylings.[4] Jordan Plingos stated in 2001 "If somebody asks me what this band sounds like, I say 'go listen to 'Falling Down,' because it has everything. It starts off fast and heavy and brutal, and then, from the bridge and chorus to the end, it makes you cry. That song right there covers it all."[3]
"Step into the Sideshow", "Falling Down", "Rejection" and "Jonesin" were all rerecorded songs that originally appeared on the band's independent releases Side Show Freaks (1999) and Rain (2000). D'Amico stated in December 2001 "'Falling Down' is like the epitome of 40 Below Summer. There was no way that it wasn't going to make the album. 'Jonesin' is a sick twisted tale that we just wanted to tell. It's a true story. 'Sideshow' is like the anthem. It always gets the crowd going. 'Rejection'… I don't know. It's just a pretty heavy song so it made it."[7] The song "Power Tool" was one of the earliest pieces of music written by the band.[8] It was originally titled "Monica" (in reference to the 1998 Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton scandal) but had to be changed for legal reasons.[8]
Reception[edit]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Chronicles of Chaos |   [9] |
| Rough Edge |  [10] |
| Spirit of metal | [11] |
Allmusic's Jason D. Taylor gave the album a positive four-star review, noting that "Invitation to the Dance at first glance may seem to be just another hard rock album, but along with further observation it is apparent that 40 Below Summer is striving to spice up what modern hard rock became in the 21st century." He concluded his review by writing "40 Below Summer's ability to keep the listener guessing and the album's repetitive appeal make Invitation to the Dance a surefire hit for those looking for something more out of hard rock than a down-tuned bass and simplistic lyrics."[2] In December 2001, Amber Authier of Canadian publication Exclaim! also gave Invitation to the Dance a positive review. She wrote, "this disc has all the trappings of a big monster metal record. Vocalist Max Illidge has a voice that is reminiscent of the master bands like Queensrÿche, but with a modern growl." Authier added, "don't get me wrong; this is a contemporary record that can hold its own in the company of bands like Slipknot and Korn, it just has that little something extra. Maybe it is the worldly influences of Peruvian drummer Carlos Aguilar and Puerto Rican bassist Hector Graziani."[12]
Aaron McKay of extreme metal website Chronicles of Chaos had a more negative review. He gave it a 3 out of 10 in May 2003, writing that, "40 Below Summer is what I call radio metal. You know, Alien Ant Farm, Disturbed, Linkin Park and the like. Positively riddled from beginning to the welcome end with non-stop monotony like a mandatory week long insurance seminar."[9] In 2015, VH1 ranked the album ninth on their list of "The 12 Most Underrated Nu Metal Albums".[1]
According to Max Illidge, the record has sold roughly 100,000 copies.[13] He has also noted that it is the only record in 40 Below Summer's discography which they do not control the rights to.[13]
Track listing[edit]
All lyrics are written by 40 Below Summer; all music is composed by 40 Below Summer
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "We the People" | 3:40 |
| 2. | "Rope" | 4:21 |
| 3. | "Still Life" | 3:02 |
| 4. | "Wither Away" | 4:18 |
| 5. | "Step Into the Sideshow" | 3:04 |
| 6. | "Falling Down" | 4:27 |
| 7. | "Smile Electric" | 2:59 |
| 8. | "Rejection" | 4:09 |
| 9. | "Power Tool" | 4:15 |
| 10. | "Drown" | 4:30 |
| 11. | "Minus One" | 2:36 |
| 12. | "Jonesin'" | 4:43 |
Personnel[edit]
40 Below Summer[edit]
- Max Illidge – vocals
- Joey D'Amico – guitar
- Jordan Plingos – guitar
- Hector Graziani – bass
- Carlos Aguilar – drums, piano
Production[edit]
- Producer – GGGarth, M. Shawn Crahan, Steve Richards
- Engineer – Michael Baskette
- Mixing – Toby Wright at the Record Plant
- A&R – Adrian Vallera
- Second Engineer at Cello Studios – Alan Sanderson
- Second Engineer at Sound City Studios – Ben Mumphrey
- Production Coordinator – Chris Vaughan-Jones
- Digital Editing – Ben Kapplan
- Mastering – Alan Silverman at Arf! Digital NYC
- Photography – Dean Karr, M. Shawn Crahan, Stefan Seskis
- album art – t42design
References[edit]
- ^ a b "The 12 Most Underrated Nu Metal Albums". VH1. Archived from the original on June 4, 2022. (15 September 2015). Retrieved on 18 September 2015
- ^ a b c d e "Invitation to the Dance - 40 Below Summer". AllMusic.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Invitation to the Dance". 29 November 2001. Archived from the original on 29 November 2001. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
- ^ a b c "KNAC.COM - Features - Invitation to the Band: 40 Bel". Knac.com. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
- ^ a b c d D'Amico, Joey, Illidge, Max and Richardson, Garth, 2021. Life is Peachy Podcast.
- ^ a b Invitation to the Dance — Electronic Press Kit London-Sire Records, 2001
- ^ a b "40belowmusic.com // wethepeople". Angelfire.com. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
- ^ a b "40belowmusic.com // wethepeople". Angelfire.com. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
- ^ a b "CoC : 40 Below Summer - Invitation to the Dance : Review". Chroniclesofchaos.com. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
- ^ "Rough Edge: 40 Below Summer CD Reviews". Roughedge.com. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
- ^ "40 Below Summer : Invitation to the Dance". Spirit-of-metal.com. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
- ^ https://exclaim.ca/music/article/40_below_summer-invitation_to_dance
- ^ a b "2013 Audio interview with Max Illidge". Thesirenslounge.com. Archived from the original on 3 February 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
