Mammuten: Prophet Of Disaster (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]
Characterised as 'Apocalyptic Stoner Metal' the band hail from all over but are based in Thessaloniki/Aberdeen (the two couldn't be more similar really). This is trippy shit folks, an 8 minute opening track Augury is just the first part of a two part Premonition suite with fuzz drenched bass from Makis and Nikos it's the rockier of the two tracks starting the album off with an insistent beat based on the drum patterns of Thodoris as Rachael's vocals phase in and out of the heavy psych sound. Part two is a little slower starting with Sissy's keening guitar, things get all distorted again with major doom vibes meaning you can hear more of Rachael's shamanic voice. Part two (The Hex) makes its predecessor look like a punk song clocking in at over 15 minutes of mind altering psych. This album is made for headphones it's one you can just plug into and drift away with, I've always said I was a massive fan of the stoner genre especially when the bands use their music to take you on a journey and Mammuten definitely do this, even on 'shorter' rockers like Disenchantment (ideal as I listened to this album on election night) they have an otherworldly force about them with large swathes of desert rock, as numbers such as The Vacillant slow burn into thunderingly heavy doom that drags itself along exploding into the darkest number on the album. There seems to be an overarching theme here of the end of the world and the music other-worldly enough to conjure those images in your mind. Prophet Of Disaster is a blissed out stoner rock record that you can ignore your in-laws with this festive season. 8/10
Selefice: I Met A God (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]
Oof this is as meaty as a double stacked gyro! I Met God is the latest EP from Athenian death metal band Selefice, formed in 1990 and releasing an album before splitting in 1994, the band reformed in 2017 which has culminated in this four track record of death metal with some melodic flair running through it. Final track Damned shows this better than most, with some clean proggy guitar at the beginning moving into the groovier, heavier style yet keeping things very proggy as it ploughs through it's 7 minute plus run time, bringing a climactic end to this EP, it's in opposition to the blistering opener Mora which is driven by blistering blast beats. There's a real thump of groove metal on this album with touches of Pantera especially with some of the superb guitar playing, but it's mostly aggressive death metal with some melodic sections such as the opening of Kol Haneshama which brings some crunching doom. I Met A God is a fine welcome back for this Greek band, over 20 years since they split they can still deliver quality music. 7/10
Vultur: Drowned In Gangrenous Blood (Memento Mori) [Paul Hutchings]
Brutal death metal takes many shapes and forms and this sophomore release from Greek death metallers Vultur has one apparent aim; total obliteration. From the opening strains of, Groans of Excruciating Torture the lumbering beast of the title track through to concluding track Postmortem Lividity this is just spine crushing. As well as having typically gory song titles (Devirginised, Butchered And Eaten, for example), the Athenians follow a simple enough path. Demonic guttural vocals, chopping chainsaw guitars and a total battery of drumming. Vocalist Giannis ‘Grim’ Panagiotidis is a seasoned veteran of the Greek Death metal scene and it shows in his visceral performance on this release. 2018’s Entangled In The Web Of Fear was sinister enough. More blood, guts and gruesome imagery spew over here. If your thing is honed by Cannibal Corpse, then Drowned In Gangrenous Blood will probably excite you a little more than maybe it should. 7/10
Shadowmass: S/T (Soman Records) [Matt Bladen]
The trio of Stamatis Syrakos (guitars, vocals), Constantine (bass), Maelstrom (drums) make up blackened thrashers Shadowmass who have released a 37 minute, 9 track debut of music that owes a debut to Slayer, Kreator and Venom. Exploding out of the speakers with the frantic Exitium, the intense Make It B-Rain and the galloping Killing which takes a lot from Kill 'Em All Metallica. These youngsters play with their hearts and their influences on their sleeves, firing on all cylinders for every track they rampage through this albums 37 minute run time with ease. For just being a debut Shadowmass is a very mature sounding thrash record, it makes me think a little of Black Tide when they first hit the scene, full of youthful exuberance and music taken from a wide spectrum of the bands that have made Shadowmass form with down the line thrash on Exitium, the more technical Tolerance Of Intolerance, crossover on Skeletal Remains and the occult loving Felicity. Shadowmass is a vicious debut release from this Athenian three piece. 7/10
No comments:
Post a Comment