Artist: HELMET
Album: BETTY RE-ISSUE (DIGI)

Release date: 1994/ 2012
Media type: CD

Betty is the third album by Helmet, released in 1994 on Interscope. The album was highly anticipated by both music critics and fans as a result of the band's success with the previous album, Meantime.

Rob Echeverria (guitarist of NYC hardcore band Rest In Pieces) replaced Peter Mengede on guitar. Despite being Helmet's highest charting album in the U.S., Betty was not as successful as Meantime but received almost unanimously favorable reviews from critics. After recording and touring in support of the album, Echeverria left Helmet in 1995 to join Biohazard; however, his departure was more amicable than Mengede's.

Prior to Betty's release in June 1994, the album's biggest hit, "Milquetoast," appeared in alternate form on The Crow soundtrack as "Milktoast." Its video was in regular rotation on MTV, and videos for "Wilma's Rainbow" and "Biscuits For Smut" were also released.

Usually regarded as Helmet's experimental album, it features a broader approach with forays into jazz and blues. Hamilton said "Those things were my indulgences. I tried to force the music in different directions. I know a lot of fans were disappointed, but I think it's important to try to grow musically." Helmet's sonic trademarks of crunching riffs and pounding drums still define the album. Betty, along with Meantime and Aftertaste, is considered a definitive text in post-metal.

Betty was released on June 21, 1994, and peaked at number 45 on the Billboard 200 album chart, making it Helmet's highest ranking album so far. Betty received mostly positive reviews from music critics and is considered by fans as one of the band's best albums.

All tracks by Hamilton, except for where noted.

TRACKLIST:

1."Wilma's Rainbow" – 3:53
2."I Know" – 3:41
3."Biscuits for Smut" – 2:53
4."Milquetoast" – 3:53
5."Tic" – 3:40
6."Rollo" (Bogdan/Hamilton) – 2:38
7."Street Crab" – 3:31
8."Clean" – 2:26
9."Vaccination" – 3:04
10."Beautiful Love" (Gillespie, King, Young and Van Alstyne) – 2:03
11."Speechless" – 2:58
12."The Silver Hawaiian" (Bogdan/Hamilton) – 2:08
13."Overrated" – 2:40
14."Sam Hell" – 2:09

LINE-UP:

John Stanier - Drums
Henry Bogdan - Bass
Rob Echeverria - Guitar
Page Hamilton - Guitar, Vocals