Although
Snot's legacy will forever be associated with the death of singer Lynn Strait, the music they left behind was not exactly a critical favorite. Their power was far more evident in a live setting, where the
Korn-lite production of their debut album is stripped away and replaced with a raw, hardcore sound. Often bringing to mind the savage assault of
Clutch blended with the funky California metal of
Mordred,
Snot's appeal is far more evident on
Alive. Although Strait is harder to hear in the mix, his exuberant personality is quite evident with his on-stage banter and audible attitude. Plus, songs like "Box" and "Snot" are tweaked just enough in a live setting to sound more natural than they did on
Get Some. The band sounds more comfortable and loose, and it translates into a far stronger release than their debut. The true shame of
Snot is that they never got to work with a Brendan O'Brien or a Rick Parashar, producers that might have pulled this aspect of their sound into the limelight. But the only evidence of their future plans is the tumbling and wah-heavy "Absent," the "new" track that was written after their debut was released. Those who wonder what the big deal about this band is should start here, as this offers an optimum performance from a band that was only starting to develop when their career was sadly cut short. ~ Bradley Torreano