Search - Faith No More :: Epic & Other Hits

Jason B. (Contaminated) from MISSOURI CITY, TX
Reviewed on 11/3/2020...

Awesome sound!

Brilliant band; Unsatisfying collection...

Struwwelpeter | Southampton, UK | 12/21/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"As this group was one of the truly underrated pioneers of the rock genre and its many facets, it was a little depressing to find that Faith No More have joined the ranks of bands whose record companies churn out multiple compilations to milk their legacy dry.

None of the songs on this compilation are anything less than great - although the 'War Pigs' cover, while perfectly laudable, doesn't represent the Faith No More sound that made them so admirable. When considering the band's back catalogue, however, it is a pretty poor selection of tracks. Six of the ten cuts are from the band's easiest listen, 1989's 'The Real Thing', the remaining four being singular selections from their other albums. Incredibly, while their first, most obscure LP 'We Care A Lot' is represented by the track 'Arabian Disco', not a single song from their fantastic 1995 album 'King For A Day, Fool For A Lifetime' appears on this CD. The anthology is redeemed some by including perhaps their greatest track, 'Midlife Crisis', but the absence of any other material from 'Angel Dust' (arguably the highlight of their lifespan) is almost criminal.

That being said, this is the third of four (so far) 'Best Of' CDs that have been released since Faith No More's split. If you are looking for a fairer representation of their stylistic range, you might prefer the more recent 'Platinum Collection', or if you are new to the band and feel it would serve you best to be eased in gently, either their 1998 singles (more or less) collection 'Who Cares A Lot?' or, to a lesser degree, the subsequent 'This Is It' collection will be a more suitable purchase.

If, however, you are looking for the cheapest possible introduction to one of the greatest bands of the eighties and nineties, I imagine that was the main purpose of this release. But I would urge that if this selection doesn't bowl you over, don't give up on Faith No More right away. While their music may not instantly gratify, once it has grown on you it stays there indefinitely."