Every once in a while Godhead will come up on one of my daily Spotify Industrial mixes and I always think “Whatever happened to them?” For the uninformed, Godhead is a relatively still active Electro/Industrial outfit started in the mid-’90’s and championed by Marilyn Manson who would later sign them to his short-lived Posthuman Records label as well as produce their fourth album, 2000 Years of Human Error.
But why are we talking about Godhead, you ask? Well, the focus of today’s post, Jason Charles Miller, happens to be the singer/guitarist of that aforementioned band and has a new album out imminently that sees the frontman trading his fetish gear for a cowboy hat. This wasn’t an overnight transition as the upcoming In The Wasteland is actually Miller’s fourth solo outing as a Country artist.
And what a Country artist he is!
In The Wasteland is a dark and gritty yet modern country album, bordering on metal at times that’s in the same vein as Hank Williams III, the collaboration between the Abbott brothers and David Allen Coe in 2006 or Devildriver’s upcoming Outlaws ’til the End metalized country covers album. And as for Miller, his uncanny voice was made for this style of music as he hits all the low’s and high’s at the right moments to make each track within In The Wasteland memorable and a sonic journey unto itself.
“Hundred Pound Hammer” is the perfect primer for anyone who only knows Miller’s Godhead work up until now with this subtle twang building into an immense chorus that lets the vocalist really show his stuff. The title track begins with a rippin’ riff straight off of your favorite Zakk Wylde album until settling into a nice groove before yet another huge and memorable chorus comes in with legendary drummer Kenny Aronoff’s precision pounding keeping a steady beat.
“Get Thee Behind Me” is a soulful hymnal that features King’s X’s Dug Pinnick trading lines with Miller while Duane Betts (Son of the iconic Dicky Betts) provides some extra guitar power. Elsewhere, “Riverbank” embodies that down home southern feel and is another testament to Miller’s songwriting prowess. Later still, “The Line” is a somber ballad before “Running” comes in like a cross between a Charlie Daniels classic and a Dick Dale staple.
Whether you’re a fan of the genre or not, you’ll be hard pressed to find anything not to like on In The Wasteland. And at the end of the day, there’s no doubt that Jason Charles Miller has found his musical calling and this album is the next chapter in the evolution of JCM!
In The Wasteland is out on June 15th through RED Music/Sony. Pre-order options are up and available by clicking over here or here. For the latest and greatest on JCM, click here.