Mammoth Grinder is a kind of super-group bands that, for me personally, are superior to the constituent members’ most important bands. Off the highest of my head, bands like Black Curse and Stormkeep are different nice examples. Do not get me improper, I’ve lots of respect for Energy Journey and the assorted different originating outfits of this band. However one thing about Mammoth Grinder‘s tackle excessive music simply pulls collectively the suitable threads to weave a superb sonic tapestry. And that is particularly evident on the band’s new EP, Timeless Spectral Resonance.
Whereas a number of the band’s earlier efforts extra conspicuously displayed their hardcore roots, this EP utterly subsumes that spirit right into a purely metallic expertise. Apparently the band put lots of effort into shaping their imaginative and prescient right here, as mainman Chris Ulsh notes: “On all our different information, I used to be sad with the earlier one and there was stuff that I wished to alter. This time, I knew what the band ought to sound like. However largely, I feel I used to be making an attempt to show to myself that I might nonetheless write one thing that was nasty, that I assumed was sick, punky demise metallic.”
From the very outset, you may inform there’s one thing totally different about this launch. Apparently Demigod was an enormous affect on them this time round, and you’ll undoubtedly hear that come by way of together with echoes of Dismember, Asphyx, and different demise metallic staples. Nonetheless, there’s a number of different parts at play within the opening observe “Corpse of Divinant.” In keeping with Ulsh: “The bridge riff was tremendous impressed by the US black metallic band Demoncy. It’s type of jarring, but it surely’s my favourite half.” Go to the 1:38 mark and you will hear it instantly. So DAMN GOOD. Do extra of this!
Likewise, the brutal simplicity of the title observe remembers the ferocity of Bestial Devastation and Morbid Visions-era Sepultura, whereas the observe’s energy has refined notes of Bolt Thrower blended in as properly. It is an actual crusher, and the rationale you go to a band like this.
After an eerie and cinematic interlude observe we’ve got “Lower The Peace” (heh, cool title). This one turns up the stomp-and-groove issue, with guitar tones that recall peak-era Entombed at their slower moments whereas delivering the ability of bands like Jungle Rot, Vader, and Obituary. I suppose this track most-closely evokes the superior art work; the demonic beast rising out of his lair to feast upon the harmless!
Lastly, the band presents us with “Obsessed With Dying,” maybe probably the most energizing observe on the discharge. In terms of fashionable, straighforward demise metallic, you would be exhausting pressed to discover a finer instance than this rousing quantity.
The one disappointing factor in regards to the launch is that it is solely an EP. The band does such a unbelievable job right here that it leaves me wanting extra. However I suppose that is an incredible marker of success as properly. The band is totally on the suitable path with this strategy and may proceed leaning into influences like Demigod and Demoncy because the proceed to push their sound ahead. Extra of the identical, please.
