Editing Size Matters (section)

== Critical reception ==
{{Album ratings
| MC = 52/100<ref name="MC">{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/size-matters/helmet|title=Metacritic Review|publisher=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=April 10, 2021}}</ref>
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="rovi">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/size-matters-mw0000210596|title=AllMusic Review|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|last=Loftus|first=John|access-date=April 10, 2021}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Blabbermouth.net]]''
| rev2score = 5/10<ref>{{Cite web |last=Blabbermouth |date=2004-11-03 |title=Size Matters |url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/cdreviews/size-matters/ |access-date=2023-10-11 |website=[[Blabbermouth.net]] |language=en}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[Martin Popoff|Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal]]''
| rev3score = 7/10<ref>{{cite book |last1=Popoff |first1=Martin |last2=Perri|first2=David|author-link1=Martin Popoff |title=The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 4: The '00s |publisher=[[Collector's Guide Publishing]] |year=2011 |location=[[Burlington, Ontario]], [[Canada]] |isbn=9781-926592-20-6 |page=215}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''
| rev4score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref>{{cite book |title=Encyclopedia of Popular Music |title-link=Encyclopedia of Popular Music |publisher=[[MUZE]] |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-19-531373-4 |editor-last=Larkin |editor-first=Colin |editor-link=Colin Larkin |edition=4th |volume=4 |pages=233–234 |chapter=Helmet}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''
| rev5score = C+<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Ross |first=Dalton |date=October 8, 2004 |title=Music: Helmet |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |issue=787 |page=114}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]''
| rev6score = 5.4/10<ref name="pitch">{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/3812-size-matters/ |title=Helmet: Size Matters &#124; Album Reviews |website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |date=November 29, 2004|access-date=April 10, 2021}}</ref>
| rev7 = ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]''
| rev7score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref>"Helmet: Size Matters". ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]''. December 2004. p. 137</ref>
| rev8 = ''[[Rock Hard (magazine)|Rock Hard]]''
| rev8score = 6/10<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 21, 2004 |title=Size Matters |url=https://www.rockhard.de/reviews/helmet-size-matters |access-date=2023-10-11 |website=[[Rock Hard (magazine)|Rock Hard]] |language=de-DE |type=Vol. 209}}</ref>
| rev9 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
| rev9score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref name="RS">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/helmet/albums/album/6523186/review/6537415/size_matters|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071130021546/https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/helmet/albums/album/6523186/review/6537415/size_matters|title=Rolling Stone Review|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|last=Hoard|first=Christian|date=October 28, 2004|archive-date=November 30, 2007|url-status=dead|access-date=April 10, 2021}}</ref>
}}
''Size Matters'' was met with "mixed or average" reviews from critics. At [[Metacritic]], which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, it received an average score of 52 based on eight reviews.<ref name="MC"/> At ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'' writer David Raposa gave the album a mixed review. He criticized the band's change in sound writing, "Helmet attempt to diversify their portfolio, offering dynamics and approachable melodies and other types of listener-friendly capitulations one wouldn't associate with the folks that dropped ''[[Meantime (album)|Meantime]]'' and 'Unsung'."<ref name="pitch"/>

Johnny Loftus of [[AllMusic]] gave the album 3 stars and wrote in his review, "''Size Matters'' emphasizes for the bloated alt-metal elite what it means to have craft and a little self-control. It isn't necessarily memorable, but as an exercise in measured, even artistic rage, it's classic Hamilton."<ref name="rovi"/> Josh Zanger of ''LAS Magazine'' explained, "''Size Matters'' seems to come up a little short in certain areas though. The overall sound is a bit too polished and loses some of the raw power edge that previous albums rode to critical success. This slickness also makes the weaker songs forgettable and bland, and a few of the choruses are forced into overextensions. At times, elated melodies contradict the darker pounding force of previously established riffs and sound like unnatural ideas that never fully blossomed."<ref name="LAS">{{cite web|url=https://lostatsea.net/LAS/archives/reviews/records/helmet.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041106043137/https://lostatsea.net/LAS/archives/reviews/records/helmet.htm|title=LAS Magazine Review|work=LAS Magazine|last=Zanger|first=Josh|archive-date=November 6, 2004|access-date=April 10, 2021}}</ref> [[In Music We Trust]] also noted the more polished sound, in addition to the lineup changes, stating in their review, "Page Hamilton has embarked on a comeback with ''Size Matters'', but, like [[Dave Mustaine]], he keeps the band name yet changes the entire lineup sans himself. Armed with Frank Bello ([[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]]), John Tempesta ([[White Zombie (band)|White Zombie]]), and Chris Traynor ([[Orange 9mm]]), the '04 Helmet lineup reads like the New York Metal All-Star team."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.inmusicwetrust.com/articles/70k46.html|title=In Music We Trust - Helmet: Size Matters|website=Inmusicwetrust.com}}</ref>

In a review with ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', Christian Hoarde gave the release 2 stars out of 5, explaining, "On their first disc in seven years, the manicured riffs remain, but the sludge is so overbearing that anyone born during the Eighties will wonder what once made them special."<ref name="RS"/> ''Scene Point Blank'' wrote in their November 2004 review that, "On one hand, we have songs such as 'Smart', 'Everybody Loves You', and 'Throwing Punches'. These songs find Hamilton utilizing his 'red-neck truck driver' voice. Musically, these songs feature the more aggressive riffs and fast-paced drumming that rekindle thoughts of Helmet material found on ''[[Strap it On]]''. On the other hand, we have 'Crashing Foreign Cars' and 'Unwound' that feature the softer and more accessible Hamilton. As a whole, these types of songs are much more prevalent on ''Size Matters''." They concluded their review by stating, "while it's nice to have a solid rock band like Helmet around again, the cohesion from albums like ''Meantime'' and ''[[Betty (Helmet album)|Betty]]'' is lacking on this latest effort. But despite the sub par return endeavor, Helmet still executes alternative metal superior to that of the 'nu-metal' parade that they involuntarily influenced."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scenepointblank.com/reviews/helmet/size-matters/|title=Helmet – Size Matters &#124; Review |website=Scenepointblank.com|access-date=June 7, 2023}}</ref>

===Legacy===
In 2011, ''[[Decibel|Decibel Magazine]]'' gave the album a critical reappraisal, and claimed "''Size Matters'' was not only a more cohesive and confident return from the break-up than some of their contemporaries (looking at you, [[Prong (band)|Prong]], [and] lame-o supergroups), but also offered some killer live shows with Frank Bello on bass. It was and is a natural sequel to ''Aftertaste'' and a valiant fuck-you to the [[emo]] foppishness and [[Iron Maiden|Maiden]]esque fret-wankery that was invading metal at the time, despite it sharing emo’s preoccupation about women ruining your life."<ref name="dec"/>

Shortly after the release of their eight album ''[[Dead to the World (album)|Dead to the World]]'', Page Hamilton reflected in an interview, "I would say that I like the first four albums best, ''Strap It On'' (1990) ''Meantime'' (1992), ''Betty'' (1994) and ''Aftertaste'' (1997), because they were created with the original line-up in a natural way. I still like those albums a lot. The comeback album, ''Size Matters'', was also a great experience for me, but we had a lot of pressure on us because it was the first Helmet album after eight years."<ref>[https://lordsofmetalarchive.nl/en/interviews/view/id/6106] {{dead link|date=June 2023}}</ref>

Frank Bello has since spoken positively of his brief stint with Helmet. In a 2014 interview with ''[[Louder Sound]]'', Bello reflected, "I went to go jam with Helmet for a year and a half of fucking the best fun. Page Hamilton, John Tempesta and Chris Traynor, we had a ball. Great musicians in that group — absolutely great musicians. And you know what? I think it made me a better bass player. It made me dig in with a pick, and it was a different form of playing for me. And I really enjoyed it."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/anthrax-frank-bello-helmet-made-me-better-bassist|title=Bello: Helmet made me better bassist|author1=Stef Lach|date=December 17, 2014|website=loudersound}}</ref>

[[Norma Jean (band)|Norma Jean]] vocalist [[Cory Brandon]] picked "See You Dead" and "Throwing Punches" as among the ten best Helmet songs in an article written for ''[[Louder Sound]]'' in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-10-best-helmet-songs-as-chosen-by-cory-brandan|title=The 10 best Helmet songs, as chosen by Cory Brandan|date=November 13, 2017|website=loudersound}}</ref>