Many only know Mark Deutrom from the Melvins, but on 2011’s The Value of Decay he proved that he was able to hold his own, and make music that is darker and moodier than a lot of Melvins stuff.
For those not already familiar with the record, this is definitely worth a listen. It includes a lot of the signature heaviness and catchiness that Melvins are known for, but with a unique take that is more focused on dark, unfocused and spacey noise. Anyone who follows Deutrom or Melvins, or enjoys experimental doomy stuff, should definitely check this out.
As far as reissues go, however, there isn’t a lot of new and exciting stuff offered with this one. There is a bonus track; it is now available in all formats and there is expanded art for those who buy the physical copy. Pretty cool, but the sell here is clearly the fact that it is a reissue. Do hardcore Deutrom/Melvins fans notice all the nuances with the recording quality of the reissue? Probably. But for a casual listener like myself who is more interested in the doomy riffs and atmosphere than the gritty details, this wouldn’t really be worth dropping money on if I already owned the original.
All in all, this is a classic album that fans should own, and this is a great chance to buy the record and hear it better than ever. Those who already have it may want to fill out their collections, but some will probably opt to stick with the original.
