Sol Invictus
by Faith No More
  • Record Label: Ipecac
  • Release Date: May 19, 2015
User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 64 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 52 out of 64
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 64
  3. Negative: 2 out of 64
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  1. Aijixe
    Sep 24, 2015
    10
    A welcome return for Faith No More. Sol Invictus opens with an obligatory piano ballad, only to collapse into a barrage of intense and flavoursome tracks that could even rival the likes of Angel Dust's best.
  2. brainofe
    May 27, 2015
    8
    Great album. Takes a little while to grow on you if you're not familiar with their previous records. Key tracks are Sunny Side Up, Black Friday and ****
  3. mcwalsh
    Jul 28, 2015
    8
    A great return from the Californian group, showing that time didn't consumed their strength nor their creativity. The songs are great and they blend elements from Angel Dust and new ones in the most natural way. Highlights include 'Black Friday', 'Sunny Side Up' and 'Superhero'.
  4. codyeff
    May 20, 2015
    9
    There seems to be a refined precision and maturity with this album. Sol Invictus is a brilliant album from a very influential band. I was a little on the young side when their older albums were released so it's kind of cool to be able to have a new one now that I can force on my friends. Definitely high up on my list of favorites from 2015.
  5. verdeverde
    May 19, 2015
    9
    It's got that signature Patton sound with elements of Angel Dust & King For A Day. Tracks like "Rise Of The Fall" & "Black Friday" sound like a blend of Patton's numerous side projects.
  6. BradTheGeek
    May 19, 2015
    8
    Overall good but much sounds rehashed with hints of Tomahawk and other projects, but still listenable. A few listens may change my rating either way. I have been a fan of FnM since The Real Thing. My favorite albums are Angel Dust and Album of the Year. This sits firmly between King for a Day (te least listenable IMHO) and Album of the Year, so overall a good outing.

    The songs    Overall good but much sounds rehashed with hints of Tomahawk and other projects, but still listenable. A few listens may change my rating either way. I have been a fan of FnM since The Real Thing. My favorite albums are Angel Dust and Album of the Year. This sits firmly between King for a Day (te least listenable IMHO) and Album of the Year, so overall a good outing.

    The songs alternate from mellow and seething, to raucous and raging, sometimes in the same song, so normal for this band. Patton's vocals still show a great depth, but he does not branch out as far as on other songs such as RV and Evidence. Bottum's playing has improved much, and shows far more nuance than the early days, but still helps carry the signature FnM sound. Bordin's drumming is spot on, but nothing spectacular, and everyone else just seems along for the ride with few if any standout moments.

    Given the rumors that another album is already in the works, and the brevity of this one, it may be that this is just the warm up to a bigger bang. Time will tell.    … Expand
  7. Fastpoose
    May 29, 2015
    4
    Firstly I'm a HUGE Faith No More fan. I still listen to their albums regulary, marvelling at the brilliance of their work, especially Angel Dust.

    This is one of the very few albums that gets worse the more I listen to it. It goes along the same lines of many bands that have been around for ages...Metallica etc. The album is short and shallow. My hypothesis of shallow albums from    Firstly I'm a HUGE Faith No More fan. I still listen to their albums regulary, marvelling at the brilliance of their work, especially Angel Dust.

    This is one of the very few albums that gets worse the more I listen to it. It goes along the same lines of many bands that have been around for ages...Metallica etc. The album is short and shallow. My hypothesis of shallow albums from bands that have done it all is: they (the band members) are all busy with families and life and just haven't got the time to put themselves 100% into their work anymore. Patton even admits this in an interview regarding the album.

    I really wanted to love this album but it is so short on depth and imagination that it just doesn't come up to par.

    This is not an album I will be reaching for in 20 years, yet most of FNM other albums I have been reaching for relentlessly over the last 20 years and beyond...sad but true :(    … Expand
  8. AndyFraser
    May 31, 2015
    7
    This is solid Faith No More. Not quite up there with The Real Thing or the excellent Angel Dust but still good. It slots in quite nicely after King For A Day and Album Of The Year. Worth a listen at least.
  9. rudemech
    Jun 20, 2015
    8
    Disclaimer: I'm an old dude, and a bassist. Been onboard since "Epic" hit the TV, picked up The Real Thing and Introduce Yourself shortly after. I'd probably rate KFAD as my favourite album, but every album has some great tracks (look at how good the 2009 reunion version of "Chinese Arithmetic" is for an example).

    I had my suspicions that FNM were yanking our chain by releasing    Disclaimer: I'm an old dude, and a bassist. Been onboard since "Epic" hit the TV, picked up The Real Thing and Introduce Yourself shortly after. I'd probably rate KFAD as my favourite album, but every album has some great tracks (look at how good the 2009 reunion version of "Chinese Arithmetic" is for an example).

    I had my suspicions that FNM were yanking our chain by releasing "Mother****er" as the first single. No obvious hook the first (or second) time you listen to it, a plodding and dirge-like tempo, and far too explicit for most radio stations. Not exactly hit material, and an awful first point of contact for a potential new listener.

    I'm reminded strongly of when Metallica released Load, and led off with "Until it Sleeps" - but unlike Sol Invictus, that album never reached _any_ of the band's past glories. Then I heard "Superhero", and it was like the intervening years just vanished. I listened to the preview stream with much delight, and went and bought an actual CD copy, from an actual shop, for the first time in ages when it was released.

    Like most FNM releases, the majority of the impact is in the first half: "Superhero", "Separation Anxiety", and "Cone of Shame" bring some big riffs that definitely scratch that itch. The rest of the album has its moments though, and all fans of FNM are well aware that contrasting musical direction is one of the band's signatures.

    Some have said it feels a bit like a walk through Patton's back-catalogue; while that's not a bad thing, keep in mind that the band presented Patton with a bunch of new material that they had been working on without him. Gould is credited as co-writer on nearly every track, and all band members had their input. Patton's just so distinctive that he definitely leaves his mark on everything he does.

    In summary, one of my favourite bands has come back after an 18 year break, and not only managed to stay relevant, but release an album that stands well beside some of their best work. That's an impressive feat in itself. Back from the dead, indeed!    … Expand
  10. Trenchfoot
    Mar 30, 2016
    10
    In general I can't abide rock music there being a baby's handful of bands I like, top of the pile being FNM. Unlike the vast majority of rock outfits from 1970 onwards they don't stay within their comfort zone regurgitating the same old **** for a paycheck. They don't resort to the tedious blues as a basis for their sound. The lyrics are often darkly humorous and they don't indulgeIn general I can't abide rock music there being a baby's handful of bands I like, top of the pile being FNM. Unlike the vast majority of rock outfits from 1970 onwards they don't stay within their comfort zone regurgitating the same old **** for a paycheck. They don't resort to the tedious blues as a basis for their sound. The lyrics are often darkly humorous and they don't indulge themselves in yawn inducing solos where not needed. In Mike Patton they have arguably the most versatile singer in music. All these traits appear on SI and some. The songs are pithy, varied and don't outstay their welcome. Some reviewers bemoan the short length but just because a CD has 80 minutes of capacity there's no need to pad it out.… Expand
  11. cucko0
    Sep 12, 2020
    8
    Just like any other FNM album, Sol Invictus sounds nothing like any of their albums. It is an enjoyable album and has awesome instrumentals that manage to sound aggressive, cute and melodic at the same time (listen to the tracks Superhero, Sunny Side Up and Matador). The only song i personally dislike is the last track "From the Dead" - it has pretty lyrics but the instrumental part feelsJust like any other FNM album, Sol Invictus sounds nothing like any of their albums. It is an enjoyable album and has awesome instrumentals that manage to sound aggressive, cute and melodic at the same time (listen to the tracks Superhero, Sunny Side Up and Matador). The only song i personally dislike is the last track "From the Dead" - it has pretty lyrics but the instrumental part feels a bit boring, considering the meaning of the song - their reunion.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

93
#93 Most Discussed Album of 2015

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. The Wire
    Jun 5, 2015
    80
    Sol Invictus is a looser, more relaxed record than its predecessors, occasionally dropping into a lounge ballad mode that suits Patton's vocals. [Jun 2015, p.52]
  2. Magnet
    Jun 4, 2015
    80
    This album finds Patton in his glory. [No. 120, p.55]
  3. Record Collector
    May 26, 2015
    80
    Add curveballs such as From The Dead, a plangent alt. country anthem, and it all adds up to the logical follow-up to 1997’s Album Of The Year. It’s like they’ve never been away.
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