Mexicoma
Obsidian
Monolith
Self-released,
LP version released by Kozmik Artifactz
9
November 2013
The
songs:
1.
Keep Me Alive
2.
Mortified
3.
Supersonic Speed
4.
Alien Radio
5.
Room 101
6.
Island Of Ghosts
7.
West of Memphis
8.
Abyssus Abyssum Invocat
9.
Bored Beyond Belief
The
band:
Magnus
Olsson - vocals
Olle
Sjölund - guitar
Peter
Norstedt - guitar
Niklas
Viberg - guitar
Charlie
Dahl - bass guitar
Oskar
Melander - drums
Straight
out of the white desert that is northern Sweden, Umeå's Mexicoma has
just released their second full-length Obsidian Monolith'. I
always thought vast expanses of forests covered that are covered in
snow for almost half the year brought out bleak, harsh and evil
music, but I was wrong. Mexicoma are going full tilt stoner but with
a twist. Instead of following genre rules, they step outside the box
and in the process expand this particular style in a way I didn't
think was possible. One thing that separates the band from most
stoner bands is singer Magnus Olsson. He has none of the usual
crooning, swaying and whispering kind of style which heavily
favoritized desert singers. No instead he's like a pitbull on the
loose with a set of Lemmy-balls and it works great! Another important
aspect that elevates Mexicoma is the almost total lack of fuzzed out
instruments. They appear on occasions but the band has opted to let
their big fat riffs have an organic and in-your-face approach...and I
love it.
'Keep
Me Alive' is probably only one of a couple of songs that gets
close to traditional stoner rock. Full throttle from the get-go a
super nice rhythm guitar allows the rest of the music freedom to rock
hard...and rock hard Mexicoma does! A combination of Motörhead's
brutal riff and drum tendencies and Thin Lizzy's guitar harmonies
puts 'Mortified' up there in the league of fantastic songs.
Amazing that's all I'm saying. 'Supersonic Speed' brings down
the speed a bit letting the stoned psychedelic leanings shine through
and it's a good, trippy and spacey tune. A bit of Monster Magnet
shows it's face in 'Alien Radio'. Fuzzed out guitars, slower
tempo but heavy as hell it is both trippy and and punishing at the
same time. Dark and foreboding the unrelentless 'Room 101'
brings enough riffs to blow Mother Earth to smithereens.
Fan-fucking-tastic, you hear!
Starting
out kind of schizophrenic, once Magnus belts out 'Island Of Ghots'
turns into one of those songs that builds up slowly to have simply
pounded you into dust once it's over. A bluesy feel envelopes 'West
Of Memphis' throughout mixed with balls-heavy rock it tells the
story of the West Memphis Three. A dark depressing tale indeed but
the song is really good. The "strangest" song on the album
is 'Abyssus Abyssum Invocat'. Claustrophobic and intense is
the best explanation I can come up with, and I mean that in the best
possible way...if claustrophobic is good, hmm? A deranged guitar line
soares above the heavy riffing rhythm guitars which creates all these
strange feelings. And all is intensified by Magnus' gravely and
brutal voice. My promo copy contains the vinyl version-only track,
'Bored Beyond Belief'. And I suggest you get the LP because
ending with this one is a smart move by Mexicoma. They switch between
tempos where the verses are slower while the choruses just explodes
with the band's take on heavy-ass modern electric blues. A great song
if there ever was one!
Being
introduced to Mexicoma was very nice and I am happy to know about
them. Too many times, really good bands are ignored in favour of
fad-of-the-day bands with no substance at all. So to be given
'Obsidian Monolith' by the boss certainly made my day
especially since they are fellow Swedes. I recommend you check out
their two previous releases, the self-titled full-length debut and
the EP, 'Supervoid'. Apart from being great musicians the fact
that they are reinventing a genre - sort of - is worthy of praise and
recognition, more so since it's done in an awesome way. Get off your
asses and get your copy now and join the Mexicoma revolution!
Written by Håkan
Nyman
Thanks to Bilocation Records for sending us a promo to review. Obsidian Monolith is available to buy on Digital Download and Vinyl Record.
Check The Band From Links Below
