L.D. 50 is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Mudvayne. Released on August 22, 2000, In 2021, the staff of Revolver included the album in their list of the "20 Essential Nu-Metal Albums". In 2022, Eli Enis of Revolver included the song "Internal Primates Forever" in his list of the "10 Heaviest Nu-Metal Songs of All Time".
Background and production
Mudvayne formed in 1996 in Peoria, Illinois. After independently releasing their debut extended play, Kill, I Oughtta, the band signed to No-Name/Epic Records. and executive produced by Steve Richards and Slipknot member Shawn "Clown" Crahan. Epic Records initially chose to promote the band without focusing on its appearance and early promotional materials featured a logo instead of photographs of the band. However, the band's appearance and music videos increased recognition of the album. and by critics as nu metal, alternative metal, thrash metal, and heavy metal in general. Spin magazine also described the album as having a "future-prog" sound. Mudvayne's musical style has influences of death metal, hardcore punk,
Mudvayne has found additional inspiration from artists such as Obituary, However, the band has stated that they are not influenced by other metal bands.
During the songwriting process, the band members paired riffs with lyrics based on what Matthew McDonough referred to as "number symbolism". The album also features distorted audio clips voiced by American philosopher and psychonaut, Terence McKenna, who died around the time of the album's recording.
Release and commercial performance
L.D. 50 was released on August 22, 2000. The singles "Dig" and "Death Blooms" peaked at No. 33 and No. 32, respectively, on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Both L.D. 50 and The Beginning of All Things to End were later repackaged again, as parts of the Original Album Classics series in 2012, along with Mudvayne's second (The End Of All Things To Come), third (Lost and Found), and fifth (Mudvayne) albums.