Release
date: June 28th
2019. Label: Argonauta
Records.
Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Alruna
– Tracklisting
1.
Giants
2.
Alruna
3.
Shores of the Dead
4.
Raven Void
5.
Atra Mors
Members
Daniel
Arvidsson - Bass, Vocals
Christer
Ström - Guitars
Emil
Ahlman - Drums, Organ
Review
Mammoth
Storm new album Alruna sees the Swedish riffsters return with a
progressive and heavier psychedelic sound. The music is more grounded
compared to previous releases as the band create a gloomier and
heavier atmosphere.
First
song – Giants – is a gloomy song that opens with a straight
forward Doom/Stoner Metal riff before exploding into a full-on Sludge
Metal groove with elements of Post-Metal based sounds with a
Psychedelic Rock/Metal grizzled vibe settles everything down. The
vocals from Daniel have a Hardcore feel to them but they’re easy to
understand and sung with complete conviction. The music feels
inspired by CONAN in places but Mammoth Storm operate by their own
heavy destructive rules and this song ends up being a compelling and
exciting journey from start to finish.
Second
song – Alruna – starts off very quietly and slowly with Mammoth
Storm playing a subdued Post-Doom/Post-Rock style of music before
allowing the heavy atmospheric guitars take the lead and offer a more
commanding presence. The psychedelic and heavy post-metallic sounds
fully come alive when Daniel’s vocals appear and Mammoth Storm play
a thunderous style of Sludge, Doom and Stoner Metal for one of the
standout songs on the album. The lyrics are superb and allows the
band to tell an intense and powerful story that matches the music
perfectly well.
Third
song – Shores Of The Dead – is a deeply unflinching slice of
Doom/Stoner/Sludge Metal spliced with a world weary
cosmic/psychedelic sound. The vocals and lyrics feel more personal
compared to the other songs held on the album. This is perhaps the
heaviest song contained on Alruna and that’s down to Mammoth Storm
fully embracing their Doom Metal persona on this song. The band leave
no stone unturned in creating a deeply emotional song.
The
final two songs - Raven Void and Atra Mors – sees Mammoth Storm
playing almost eighteen minutes of heavy Post-Doom/Stoner Metal
grooves with the band focusing more on their Psychedelic riffs than
ever before. Though, that’s my humble opinion. Others may think
differently. I enjoyed the different styles of music that Mammoth
Storm play on these final songs. As it’s quite different to the
earlier songs. The vocals are quite majestic and ferocious at the
same time especially on Raven Void.
The
instrumental work is an absolute joy to hear. The whole atmosphere of
the album is quite eerie and challenging to listen to as Mammoth
Storm never shy away from playing brutal and highly atmospheric
sounds. The production is first rate and this allows Mammoth Storm to
play some of the heaviest music of their career so far.
Mammoth Storm have taken a lot of creative risks with this album and the
results are glorious and allows this album to be ranked as one of the
best Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal albums of the year.
It’s
seriously that good.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks
to Mona
at All Noir PR
for the promo. Alruna
will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via ArgonautaRecords
from June 28th
2019.
Links:
