Relationship of Command
Encyclopedia
Relationship of Command is the third and final studio album by the post-hardcore
band At the Drive-In
, and was released in September 2000. The band reached mainstream success through the album, if only for a short time before their indefinite break-up.
The album combines a hardcore aggressive edge with a melodic drive and harmonious, emotive and surreal vocals and lyrics. While the album continues in the alternative style of At the Drive-In's previous albums, Relationship of Command is seen as a more well-rounded album than its predecessors. Initially, the album was received positively by critics, and the album is now seen as one of the most influential post-hardcore, if not rock, albums of the decade. Relationship of Command was voted 12th out of 50 in the Albums of the Decade by NME
and the 37th most influential album of all time by Kerrang.
Iggy Pop
performs back-up vocals on "Rolodex Propaganda
", and also appears as the kidnapper in the beginning of "Enfilade".
. The album was recorded at the Indigo Ranch Studios, in Malibu, California, and was produced by Ross Robinson
and mixer Andy Wallace
.
giving the album a score of 77. The album is now seen as one of the most influential rock albums of the decade, with it being ranked 47th in the 50 Greatest Albums of the 21st century in Kerrang!
, number 83 on Spin
magazine's 100 Greatest Albums 1985 – 2005, 6th in State
magazine's 100 albums of the decade, 3rd in JustPressPlay's Top 100 Albums of the 2000s, 52nd in Decibel magazine's Greatest 100 albums of the decade, 117th in Uncut
magazine's 150 Albums of the decade, as well as being ranked at number 90 on MTV2
's greatest albums ever list. A retrospective BBC music review hailed the significance of Relationship of Command's uniqueness, calling the album "mesmerising" and a "statement of grand intent that could never be followed."
The album is also seen as an influential guitar album, being ranked number 94 on the October 2006 issue of Guitar World
magazine's list of the 100 greatest guitar albums of all time.
gained brief mainstream critical and commercial success, with the album being the only At the Drive-In album to reach the Billboard 200 (U.S.)
, and also appearing in critics' end-of-year lists such as the Los Angeles Times and Rolling Stone
, as well as making appearances on shows such as Late Night with Conan O'Brien
and the Late Show with David Letterman
. However despite this success, the band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2001, with the members splitting to form The Mars Volta
and Sparta
.
In an interview with Alternative Press in September 2010 (in an article praising the album 10 years later) Rodriguez was asked "What's your least favorite thing about the album?" He replied – "In a heartbeat I could tell you, one of my only regrets out of everything I've ever done is the way that record was mixed. People think that was a raw and energetic record, but what they're hearing is nothing compared to what it truly was before it was glossed over and send through the mixing mill that was Andy Wallace, who is a wonderful person and a very talented mixing engineer and has done great albums – I'm not trying to offend him....and I understand he had the pressure of the label and all the people who had dreams of it being this grandioise thing, and being played on the radio, which it was, (but) that record is ruined by the mix. I just find it the most passive, plastic....It's the one record I still to this day cannot listen to."
, and the Trojan Horse
in particular.
Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
band At the Drive-In
At the Drive-In
At the Drive-In was an American rock band from El Paso, Texas, considered part of the post-hardcore genre and active from 1993 to 2001. They were known for their extremely energetic stage shows which hearkened back to the 1980s hardcore scene...
, and was released in September 2000. The band reached mainstream success through the album, if only for a short time before their indefinite break-up.
The album combines a hardcore aggressive edge with a melodic drive and harmonious, emotive and surreal vocals and lyrics. While the album continues in the alternative style of At the Drive-In's previous albums, Relationship of Command is seen as a more well-rounded album than its predecessors. Initially, the album was received positively by critics, and the album is now seen as one of the most influential post-hardcore, if not rock, albums of the decade. Relationship of Command was voted 12th out of 50 in the Albums of the Decade by NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
and the 37th most influential album of all time by Kerrang.
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
performs back-up vocals on "Rolodex Propaganda
Rolodex Propaganda
"Rolodex Propaganda" is a song by At the Drive-In, released in 2000 as the second single from their 3rd and final studio album, Relationship of Command.The track also featured Iggy Pop as a guest on backing vocals.-Track listing:...
", and also appears as the kidnapper in the beginning of "Enfilade".
Track listing
- All songs written by At The Drive-In.
- "Arcarsenal" – 2:55
- "Pattern Against User" – 3:17
- "One Armed ScissorOne Armed Scissor"One Armed Scissor" is a song by At the Drive-In. It was the first single from their album Relationship of Command, and was the first At the Drive-In song to be played regularly on a number of radio stations...
" – 4:19 - "Sleepwalk Capsules" – 3:27
- "Invalid Litter Dept.Invalid Litter Dept."Invalid Litter Dept." was the third single released from At the Drive-In's album Relationship of Command. The CD release in March 2001 came in a variety of international formats, including the standard two CDs in the United Kingdom...
" – 6:05 - "Mannequin Republic" – 3:02
- "Enfilade" – 5:01
- "Rolodex PropagandaRolodex Propaganda"Rolodex Propaganda" is a song by At the Drive-In, released in 2000 as the second single from their 3rd and final studio album, Relationship of Command.The track also featured Iggy Pop as a guest on backing vocals.-Track listing:...
" – 2:55 - "Quarantined" – 5:24
- "Cosmonaut" – 3:23
- "Non-Zero Possibility" – 5:36
- "Extracurricular" – 3:59 (available on the Fearless RecordsFearless RecordsFearless Records is an alternative rock-oriented record label that has been signing artists since 1994. Fearless is based in Westminster, California and are best known for their early pop-punk moments captured in the Fearless Flush Sampler and Punk Bites releases, as well as additional releases by...
re-release) - "Catacombs" – 4:14 (available on the Fearless RecordsFearless RecordsFearless Records is an alternative rock-oriented record label that has been signing artists since 1994. Fearless is based in Westminster, California and are best known for their early pop-punk moments captured in the Fearless Flush Sampler and Punk Bites releases, as well as additional releases by...
re-release and the European and Australian edition of the album – originally appeared on a Thick Records split 7" with Burning Airlines'Burning AirlinesBurning Airlines were an American rock band from Washington, D.C.. J. Robbins and Bill Barbot of Jawbox formed the band with Peter Moffett, formerly of Government Issue...
The Deluxe War Baby)
Recording
Relationship of Command was recorded over a seven week period starting on January 17, 2000, following a tour supporting Rage Against the MachineRage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
. The album was recorded at the Indigo Ranch Studios, in Malibu, California, and was produced by Ross Robinson
Ross Robinson
Ross Robinson, son of Byron Katie, is an American multi-platinum music producer, who has discovered successful acts such as Korn, At the Drive-In, Glassjaw, Repeater, Slipknot and Limp Bizkit. Robinson has also worked with Machine Head, Vanilla Ice, The Cure, Sepultura and many others...
and mixer Andy Wallace
Andy Wallace (producer)
Andy Wallace is a Grammy Award-winning music studio engineer with a long track record of successful productions, beginning with the 1986 production of the Run-DMC/Aerosmith collaboration on "Walk This Way" with Rick Rubin...
.
Critical reception
The album initially received generally positive reviews, with MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
giving the album a score of 77. The album is now seen as one of the most influential rock albums of the decade, with it being ranked 47th in the 50 Greatest Albums of the 21st century in Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
, number 83 on Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
magazine's 100 Greatest Albums 1985 – 2005, 6th in State
State (magazine)
State.ie is an Irish website and formerly a monthly music magazine, which launched in March 2008 and folded in January 2009 having published a total of nine issues...
magazine's 100 albums of the decade, 3rd in JustPressPlay's Top 100 Albums of the 2000s, 52nd in Decibel magazine's Greatest 100 albums of the decade, 117th in Uncut
UNCUT (magazine)
Uncut magazine, trademarked as UNCUT, is a monthly publication based in London. It is available across the English-speaking world, and focuses on music, but also includes film and books sections...
magazine's 150 Albums of the decade, as well as being ranked at number 90 on MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
's greatest albums ever list. A retrospective BBC music review hailed the significance of Relationship of Command's uniqueness, calling the album "mesmerising" and a "statement of grand intent that could never be followed."
The album is also seen as an influential guitar album, being ranked number 94 on the October 2006 issue of Guitar World
Guitar World
Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year...
magazine's list of the 100 greatest guitar albums of all time.
Aftermath
Following the release of the album, At the Drive-InAt the Drive-In
At the Drive-In was an American rock band from El Paso, Texas, considered part of the post-hardcore genre and active from 1993 to 2001. They were known for their extremely energetic stage shows which hearkened back to the 1980s hardcore scene...
gained brief mainstream critical and commercial success, with the album being the only At the Drive-In album to reach the Billboard 200 (U.S.)
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, and also appearing in critics' end-of-year lists such as the Los Angeles Times and Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, as well as making appearances on shows such as Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
and the Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
. However despite this success, the band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2001, with the members splitting to form The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta is a Grammy award winning American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas. Founded in 2001 by guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, the band incorporates various influences including progressive rock, krautrock, jazz fusion, Latin American music, and...
and Sparta
Sparta (band)
Sparta is an American band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 2001. Founding members Jim Ward and Tony Hajjar are former members of post-hardcore group At the Drive-In...
.
In an interview with Alternative Press in September 2010 (in an article praising the album 10 years later) Rodriguez was asked "What's your least favorite thing about the album?" He replied – "In a heartbeat I could tell you, one of my only regrets out of everything I've ever done is the way that record was mixed. People think that was a raw and energetic record, but what they're hearing is nothing compared to what it truly was before it was glossed over and send through the mixing mill that was Andy Wallace, who is a wonderful person and a very talented mixing engineer and has done great albums – I'm not trying to offend him....and I understand he had the pressure of the label and all the people who had dreams of it being this grandioise thing, and being played on the radio, which it was, (but) that record is ruined by the mix. I just find it the most passive, plastic....It's the one record I still to this day cannot listen to."
Artwork
The album's cover artwork (including the covers for the singles "One Armed Scissor," "Invalid Litter Dept." and "Rolodex Propaganda"), illustrated by Damon Locks, all revolve around imagery of the Trojan WarTrojan War
In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, the king of Sparta. The war is among the most important events in Greek mythology and was narrated in many works of Greek literature, including the Iliad...
, and the Trojan Horse
Trojan Horse
The Trojan Horse is a tale from the Trojan War about the stratagem that allowed the Greeks finally to enter the city of Troy and end the conflict. In the canonical version, after a fruitless 10-year siege, the Greeks constructed a huge wooden horse, and hid a select force of men inside...
in particular.
Personnel
- Cedric BixlerCedric Bixler-ZavalaCedric Bixler-Zavala is a Grammy Award-winning Mexican-American musician known for his work as frontman and lyricist of the progressive rock band The Mars Volta, and previously as frontman and occasional guitarist of the post-hardcore punk group At the Drive-In...
– Lead vocals, Guitar on "Rolodex Propaganda", Melodica on "Enfilade" - Jim WardJim Ward (musician)James David Ward is an American musician. A self-taught guitarist and pianist, he was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the band Sparta; he was also the co-founder of the seminal post-hardcore band At the Drive-In.-At the Drive-In:While in At the Drive-In, Ward played rhythm guitar and...
– Guitar, keyboards, backing vocals - Omar RodríguezOmar Rodriguez-LopezOmar Alfredo Rodríguez-López is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, writer, actor and film director who was born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico...
– Guitar, backing vocals - Paul HinojosPaul HinojosPablo J. Hinojos-Gonzalez is a Grammy award winning musician, and former member of The Mars Volta, Sparta and At The Drive In. Sometimes credited under the name Paul Hinojos, he was the bass guitarist of At the Drive-In...
– Bass - Tony HajjarTony HajjarTony Hajjar is a Lebanese American drummer, best known for playing in At the Drive-In and Sparta.-Biography:...
– Drums
- Iggy PopIggy PopIggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
– Guest vocals on "Rolodex PropagandaRolodex Propaganda"Rolodex Propaganda" is a song by At the Drive-In, released in 2000 as the second single from their 3rd and final studio album, Relationship of Command.The track also featured Iggy Pop as a guest on backing vocals.-Track listing:...
" and "Enfilade" - Ross RobinsonRoss RobinsonRoss Robinson, son of Byron Katie, is an American multi-platinum music producer, who has discovered successful acts such as Korn, At the Drive-In, Glassjaw, Repeater, Slipknot and Limp Bizkit. Robinson has also worked with Machine Head, Vanilla Ice, The Cure, Sepultura and many others...
– Producer - Chuck Johnson – EngineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- Zak Girdis – Assistant engineer
- Kevin Bosley – Assistant engineer
- Andy WallaceAndy Wallace (producer)Andy Wallace is a Grammy Award-winning music studio engineer with a long track record of successful productions, beginning with the 1986 production of the Run-DMC/Aerosmith collaboration on "Walk This Way" with Rick Rubin...
– Mixing - Eddy Schreyer – Mastering
- Damon Locks – Illustrations
- Jason Farrell – Layout design
Charts
| Year | Country | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
33 |
| 2000 | Billboard 200 (U.S.) Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
116 |
| 2000 | Billboard Heatseekers Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... (U.S) |
1 |
| 2000 | Australian Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
25 |