The Melvins are always a hard band to understand. They approach hard rock with a sludgy, dark, artistic style that no other band can even attempt or even put into quantifiable terms. This unique style is exactly what makes their covers album Everybody Loves Sausages such an interesting art piece. Some songs sound exactly like you expect the Melvins to sound like, with lead track “Warhead” being the best example. Other times, they come off with a strange sweetness in their sound, with their nearly note-for-note cover of Queen’s “You’re My Best Friend” being the most entertaining track. Other times, the sheer artistic power of the Melvins comes through with the 11-minute long cover of David Bowie’s “Station to Station,” showing the full prowess of the band.

Not every song on the album is a true hit. The latter half of the album gets into the muck, with drudging covers that never really differentiate themselves from anything else. The lone exception is the cover of Roxy Music’s “In Every Dream Home a Heartache,” which features stellar guest vocals from Jello Biafra. Even though Everybody Love Sausages gives sometimes uneven results, the treatment of each track shows the Melvins as a truly spectacularly creative force that is still relevant in their 30th year of existence.

(Ipecac Recordings, PO Box 1778 Orinda, CA 94563)