With a sense of urgency, Taylor had not planned to release CMFT until 2021, however, the onset of a global pandemic caused Taylor to change plans. While many artists have pushed back their new releases until next year, Taylor felt it was important to push up CMFT in order to basically give his fans, in a sense, a piece of normalcy. The name itself, CMFT, we can all translate what that means, has always been a nickname for Taylor and is the perfect title for his debut solo album. In essence, what Taylor was going for when he joined up with Producer Jay Ruston (Anthrax, Steel Panther), is a joyful and energetic release that fans can easily embrace. That being said, CMFT is a thirteen track release which musically leans more on the side of Stone Sour than it Does Slipknot, and there are even a couple of surprises.
The finished product, we were first introduced to CMFT thanks to the albums first single, “Black Eyes Blue.” A really nice way to bring about his first solo effort, Taylor delivers a track that is laid back with an attractive and engaging piece of work. To start, CMFT kicks off with a rocking guitar intro for track one, “HWY666,” which comes off in almost a Country influence yet it is definitely a Corey Taylor tune. Another memorable intro comes on the punky track “Meine Lux” as Taylor delivers a “1, 2, 1-2-3-4” just like Billy Joel did on “A Matter of Trust.” Later on, Taylor marks the halfway point of CMFT with the swampy acoustic ballad “Silverfish.” Fans should really dive into this track and Taylor’s thrilling delivery of lyrics like “No one’s gonna save me when I die.”
Next, Taylor turns another acoustic opening into a rocker with “Kansas.” In another shining moment, “Culture Head” brings about deliberate and in your face percussion leading this heavy track to the dance. Going in a completely different direction, “The Maria Fire” presents a Jazzy/Bluesy vibe as Taylor belts out his words in a style that is actually impressive for the Nu Metal legend. Probably the best song on CMFT, “Home” begins with an emotional burst of piano and keeps the one instrument, and some violin, throughout as Taylor performs what is a really heartfelt and touching ballad. To spotlight one more stand out, “CMFT Must Be Stopped” features guest spots by Tech N9ne and Kid Bookie for a heavy hitter that works really well, proven when it gets stuck in your head.
It holds ground as one of the most anticipated albums of the year, CMFT is the third chapter in Corey Taylor’s story and it certainly has a story to tell. Again, since the onslaught of this pandemic many artists have pushed back their albums, some a few months, others an entire year. While that is understandable due to artists not being able to tour in support off the back of a new album, Taylor does not seem to be worried about this detail. Taylor has always looked out for his fans and releasing CMFT a year or so early is one of the best gifts Taylor can give. As his solo debut, Taylor knocks it out of the park once again, no surprise there, and tracks like “Home,” “Black Eyes Blue,” and “HWY666” are enough of a reason to remember the name CMFT. A refreshing new release, Cryptic Rock gives CMFT 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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