REVIEW: Mantar - "The Spell" (EP)

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 31/03/2017

Label: Nuclear Blast

Mantar’s strength lies in their ability to maintain a perfect balance of dirty, underground grit and catchy stadium-bothering rock’n’roll ambition. Opening track “Pest Crusade” demonstrates this in style. It is a complex track composed of shifting tempos and styles, encompassing shards of raging black metal, stop/start riffage and blasts of no-nonsense stoner punk.  The three flawless tracks that make up “The Spell” demonstrate that Mantar’s unique brand of heaviness is growing ever more potent.

“The Spell” 10” LP//DD track listing:

1. Pest Crusade

2. Age Of The Vril

3. The Spell (feat. Okoi Jones / Bölzer)

The Review:

Hamburg power duo make a welcome return to action with new EP “The Spell”. Following hot on the heels of last year’s excellent “Ode To The Flame” LP, this release is a short sharp reminder of the band’s fierce doomed-out black metal mayhem.

Mantar’s strength lies in their ability to maintain a perfect balance of dirty, underground grit and catchy stadium-bothering rock’n’roll ambition. Opening track “Pest Crusade” demonstrates this in style. It is a complex track composed of shifting tempos and styles, encompassing shards of raging black metal, stop/start riffage and blasts of no-nonsense stoner punk. Somehow the band still manage to make this sound like a fist-pumping anthem which is no mean feat.

“Age Of The Vril” is more straightforward affair, lumbering doom verses giving way to epic choruses that erupt into a high-octane race to the finishing line. “The Spell” rounds things off with Mantar at their most basic, a two-chord rock’n’roll thrash that the band milk for maximum results. They are aided by guest vocals from Okoi Jones of Bolzer who aids an air of grandeur to the pause for breath before one last charge into the void.

The three flawless tracks that make up “The Spell” demonstrate that Mantar’s unique brand of heaviness is growing ever more potent. Hopefully they are back soon with a full length to deliver on the tantalising promise of this release.

“The Spell” is available here

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

 



FFO: Tombs, Black Cobra, Graves At Sea, Mortals

Mortals/Repellers - ‘Split’ EP (Review)

Album Type: Split EP

Date Released: 10/03/2015

Label: Broken Limbs Recordings

‘Split’ LP//DD track listing:

1. Mortals - 10 Years of Filth

2. Repellers - Descend

3. Repellers - From Jericho to Ai

4. Repellers - False Solace

Mortals is:

Lesley Wolf | Bass, Vocals

Elizabeth Cline | Guitar, Vocals

Caryn Havlik | Drums

Repellers is:

Rob Peraitis | Bass, Vocals

Tony Secreto | Drums, Vocals

Jon Rifenburg | Guitar Vocals

Review:

Mortals are one of the most exciting bands of the last several years. While they’ve been around for five years, their 2014 album ‘Cursed to See the Future’ through Relapse Records was one of the great albums of the year, and for many—myself included—it was their first exposure to the band. Now they’re back with a split EP on Broken Limbs recordings with Philadelphia’s Repellers.

Mortals starts the EP off in fantastic fashion with their sole contribution, “10 Years of Filth”. The track largely follows the same formula from ‘Cursed to See the Future’, a potent blend of High on Fire style sludge and melodic black metal. They also continue to write longer songs in a kind of movement-style arrangement rather than verse chorus. “10 Years of Filth” is a smorgasbord of towering riffs and thunderous drums, from its early sludge stampede to the borderline thrash and black metal section that makes up the songs later stages.

Every member of Mortals plays a vital role. Vocalist/bassist Lesley Wolf’s coarse howl has all the power and savagery of later-era Chuck Schuldiner, but she also knows when to lay out and let the music carry the moment. Elizabeth Cline’s guitar work is deceptively simple-sounding. Having seen her bring these riffs to life in a live setting sees her seemingly doing the guitar work of two people, with sprawling, layered chords. Drummer Caryn Havlik’s varied drumming approach is equally impressive. While she certainly hits as hard as anyone, she’s also has an exceptional mind for crafting unique rhythms and drum beats within a heavy metal framework. It should go without saying that this split deserves a listen based on this track alone. Luckily, the split would warrant an easy recommendation even if this were just a Repellers EP.

Repellers have been active for a few years now, though they’ve only put out short-form releases to this point. This split is my first exposure to the band, but it’s clear they're onto something with their crusty melodic death metal approach. “Descend” is anchored by alternating riffs that would sound at home on an early Amon Amarth or (forgive the obscure reference) Prophanity album, complemented by some His Hero is Gone style crust throughout.

Elsewhere, Repellers evoke the moodiest material of crust legends Misery and late 90s Impaled Nazarene, all while giving their own unique spin on things and gracefully avoiding coming across as a band too closely tied to their influences. One can’t help but see great things for Repellers as time goes on, as they’ve got all the pieces in play for a fantastic full length some day. Repellers is a band on the ascent that absolutely demands your attention if you have any interest in the genres they blend.

While there are definitely splits where one band is clearly at a higher level than the other, that isn’t really the case here. You might have an inclination towards one band or the other based on genre preference, but these are two bands making excellent music, and that’s all you can really ask for on a release like this.

Words by: Daniel Jackson

You can pick up a digital copy here and a CD/LP copy here.

For more information:

Mortals Facebook | Repellers Facebook

Mortals - Cursed To See The Future (Album Review)

Album Type: Album

Date Released: July 2014

Label: Relapse Records

Cursed To See The Future - S/T - track listing:

1.View From a Tower 06:49

2.Epochryphal Gloom

3.The Summoning 09:20

4.Devilspell

5.Series of Decay

6.Anchored in Time

Band Members

Caryn Havlik - Drums

Lesley Wolf - Vocals, Bass

Elizabeth Cline - Vocals, Guitars

Review:

Mortals crushing mix of Blackened Sludge, Doom, Hardcore are the main order of business on their highly anticipated 2nd album – Cursed To See The Future. Their first album for mega-powerhouse label – Relapse Records.

Cursed To See The Future is a stunning hybrid of noises and bleak atmospheric sludge metal riffs with opening track – View From A Tower – laying down impressive bleak vibes to get you in the mood as this is a dark and twisted album built on violent emotions that never changes course for the next 45 mins or so. The dual vocals of Lesley and Elizabeth both shout their way through some dark and painful lyrical content which only adds to the overall bleak atmosphere that the album has running through it’s veins.

Mortals have written some bone-crunching riffs that ventures from Blackened Sludge to more hardcore based nightmarish undertones with the album firmly keeping your soul imprisoned within the darkness, which resides within this powerful album. The contrast of styles held within the album can be over-powering at times, as Mortals never stick to a simple formula. Fans of Thou, Tombs and even High On Fire will be in there element here. As the riffs have a familiar structure around them. You have to admire the sheer technical ability that this band possesses as a few of the tracks have an epic progressive metal edge to them. Take 2nd track for example – Epochryphal Gloom – as it ventures from straightforward Sludge Metal to more complex progressive metal riffs with the band showing their musical talent for playing epic notes that last a lifetime.

The album only has 6 tracks with the majority of them running past the 7 minute to 9 minute mark. Tracks such as - The Summoning and Series Of Decay – sees Mortals inflicting untold damage to the world around them. It is a bleak, desolate and cold world where you will immerse yourself with the heavy pounding destructive music that Mortals have to offer. If you are a fan of heavy and violent Blackened Sludge Metal then this album is going to speak volumes to you. A thrilling and tense album will have you coming back for more and more punishment.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Cursed To See The Future is available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl from Relapse Records now.

Check The Band From Links below

Facebook

BandCamp

Written by Steve Howe