It (’s a Monster)

When It (’s a Monster) kicks in with the opening riff, it does so with a hook that won’t let go. It’s not the typical late-80s hard rock track where solos or epic choruses carry the weight. Here, the engine is a groove that repeats with an almost hypnotic cadence, yet it hides a rhythmic structure that doesn’t follow traditional timekeeping. The bass and guitar weave together in a pattern that, while sounding straightforward, has a subtle break in timing: a loop stretched to 7/8 during the chorus, just as Gary Cherone’s vocals start playing with syllables. It’s that tiny misalignment that gives the song an air of not quite fitting in, yet somehow hooks you without you knowing exactly why.

The recording of It (’s a Monster) took place in Boston, in a borrowed studio, with equipment that wasn’t the luxury gear of major labels. Engineers Craig Doubet and Bob St. John captured each take live, without editing out performance errors afterward. Producer Michael Wagener—who also handled the mix—aimed to capture the band’s raw energy, and in the process, the track ended up being one of the album’s longest cuts. It wasn’t the song that most resembled More Than Words, but it was the one that best reflected how Extreme worked onstage: with controlled improvisation and a sound that, at the time, didn’t yet have a clear name. It lasted 4:25, long enough for the foundational riff—which would later reappear in other tracks on the album—to become a defining mark of their style.