Three 65, Day 13
Tomahawk, Tomahawk

For unlucky day 13, we take a look at Tomahawk, Mike Patton's first straight-up rock ensemble formed after the destruction of Faith No More and Mr. Bungle, his two primary projects.

When Faith No More broke up, Patton seemed a little lost in the wilderness: He took on some guest spots, and formed Fantomas, a death metal supergroup that utilized (some would say squandered) his insanely varied vocal talents. It wasn't until Tomahawk released their self-titled debut in late 2001 that his rock and roll flower finally bloomed again.

Loosely a concept album about the life of a serial killer, a Patton-esque topic if ever there was one, Tomahawk is more than just a showcase for the singer's brand of bizarre ability. It also features Duane Denison, of The Jesus Lizard, on guitar; John Stanier, of Battles and Helmet, on drums; and Cows bassist Kevin Rutmanis. And all of them totally bring their A game. Denison's guitar leads are loose and greasy, with plenty of the angular playing that made his Jesus Lizard albums so much fun. Rutmanis is, as always, an exceptional player in an unexceptional role, holding down the bottom end while Stanier does what he does best: intense, almost heavy metal drumming.

And then there's Patton, whose wild vocals and sound effects rule the day. On "God Hates A Coward," which is performed live through a gas mask, he truly does sound like a twisted serial killer ruing his fucked up early life. He shifts from crooning to shrieking on "POP 1" ("this beat could win me a Grammy" he screams), and generates hair-raising creaks and groans over the course of "101 North," the chilling second track.

Tomahawk released two other albums: the excellent Mit Gas and Anonymous, a clutch of covers of Native American chanting. And of course, Patton went on to do everything under the sun, including a Faith No More reunion. Unfortunately, Rutmanis left the band (with no official explanation) around the time of Anonymous, and there hasn't been an album since, although rumors continue to float that the band is considering a fourth release.