Album Review: Limp Bizkit - 'Gold Cobra'

OK, so before we do this let's just iron out what our expectations of a new Limp Bizkit record could possibly be. Surely this is just more of a nostalgic, seminal-joke for us all right? Don't get me wrong, when I was in high school I loved the absolute shit out of this band, I even named my dog Bizkit, and for good reason as the band's first two records 1997’s 'Three Dollar Bill Y'all' and 1999’s 'Significant Other' are really great albums still to this day. So the fact that 'Gold Cobra' is the first full-length album from the original line-up in over ten years has to be a little bit exciting to all of us who were breakin' stuff with the Bizkit all those year ago.

Having said that, and considering the band's track record post 'Significant Other,' if anyone is expecting the group to be back on top of their game with insightful music relevant to the current day, you are approaching this album all wrong. It almost seems that even the band can acknowledge this, especially front man Fred Durst, as he hasn't tried in the slightest to mature his lyrical themes much past wanting to fuck people up or partying with girls. He is purely giving the fans what they want and expect, or at least they did ten years ago, the question the band will have to face is whether or not they still do.

That being said, this album could have turned out much worse, and Durst is probably the weakest element, as the rest of the group, mainly guitarist Wes Borland and drummer John Otto are offering up riffs and beats that can arguably be named amongst some of the band's best.

The first track Bring It Back features that all too well known Bizkit bounce and is one of the finest songs on the record, the cruisy groove opens up to a heavy rock chorus driven by Borland’s riffs. The second single and title track is as equally cool as it is lame, great music, poor lyrics and a bridge that sounds like it was lifted straight from ‘Significant Other.’

The weak rhymes in the verses of Get A Life are redeemed by the chorus which sees Durst switch to a scream and is the closest the band have ever come to sounding like their 'Three Dollar Bill...' roots. First single Shotgun is another standout with huge riffs and acceptable lyrics before Douchebag, a great attitude filled track with a terrible chorus but plenty of angst to make up for it.

Things slow down for the expected “emotional” track that the band always include, Walking Away, during which Durst sings with heavy delays. The group come to the party a bit late with Autotunage, proving that they certainly won't be paving any new ground, but the track is surprisingly fun. The record ends with Killer In You, another highlight as it blends the hip-hop and rock elements of the band together perfectly reminding us why it was that the group were once considered kings of the nu-metal genre.

Going into this record with pretty low expectations I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly enjoyed the listen. 'Gold Cobra' does nothing to modernise the band's sound or attempt to make them relevant once again, instead it is more of a throwback to the Limp Bizkit we all used to know and love with a result that lands up amongst their best works. If you once loved Limp Bizkit, and approach this record with the right amount of good natured humour, then you will agree that this truly is, the year of the cobra.

1. Introbra
2. Bring It Back
3. Gold Cobra
4. Shark Attack
5. Get a Life
6. Shotgun
7. Douche Bag
8. Walking Away
9. Loser
10. Autotunage
11. 90.2.10
12. Why Try
13. Killer in You