Australia is well- known for its kangaroos, snakes and the mighty ACDC. However, the land’s important trademarks do not halt there. Australian hard rock industry is always present, although it has not reached major success and publicity yet. MAMMOTH MAMMOTH is a solid part of the specific scene, the Australian hard rock dogma, that ACDC created when they first ever record was released back in ’75. MAMMOTH MAMMOTH have been present for almost ten years, counting their sixth release so far and their fourth full-length record, titled ‘Australia is well- known for its kangaroos, snakes and the mighty ACDC’.
To be able to reach the peak of the mountain, you’ve got to struggle and face challenges beyond imagination. This mountain, however, requires no special sacrifice. It is just a door to the world of rock n roll, plain and simple as that, just like we used to have it in the past. Mammoth Mammoth is the kind of band that wants to sound desert rock, admires CLUTCH and MONSTER MAGNET, but on the other hand, it secretly worships Lemmy and the MOTORHEAD. As a result we are introduced to a dazed and fury outcome of rock n roll, to four musicians that perform with emotion and warmth.
The record opens with ‘Mount The Mountain’, a song which along with ‘Spellbound’ are kind of singles for the record. Harsh, stoner rock guitar riffs are moving towards the listener like a hurricane, ready to smash everything in their way. The vocals are trippy and catchy. They complete the hard rock orgasm the band is trying to give. ‘Hole in the Head’ introduces a groovier style of play, that is actually notable in ‘Procrastination’, ‘Epitome’ and ‘Wild and Dead’ as well. The whole record is a hard rock party actually, which appeals to the stoner rockers as well as to the lovers of retro rock n roll or hard rock. MAMMOTH MAMMOTH embraces a retro feeling with modern sound and well-polished music.
“There are no surprises or sound innovations inside this record. However, there’s plenty of attitude. There’s rock and roll.”
The record includes some surprises too. First of all, there is ‘Cold Liquor’, a track that starts with a blues rock part, which brings Clutch’s blues moment in mind, only to lead to a change to the pace and a change to fast guitar riffs, influenced by English NWOBHM and hard rock. Like I stated before, it is all about sounding retro and modern at the same time. Hidden as a bonus release, there’s a ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’ cover, which is totally a diamond, in my opinion. Whenever you feel the need to party and just get yourself crazy, play this cover loudly. It does all the magic.
There is not anything extraordinary about ‘Mount The Mountain’. There are no surprises or sound innovations inside this record. However, there’s plenty of attitude. There’s rock and roll. The band, which is experienced now, knows where to stand and what how present their music. Inside music industry that lacks the attitude and the raw brutality that SAXON or MOTORHEAD used to have, MAMMOTH MAMMOTH wants to claim it, combined with stoner rock elements. The specific recipe is pretty common, but that’s no problem for the majority of the bands and the fans; who does not fancy to drink beer and listen to a song that actually rocks your insides out?
The fans of the band will be extremely pleased by ‘Mount The Mountain’, along with the fans of hard rock, of course. MAMMOTH MAMMOTH tries to get the world to notice them by performing in a brutal and uncompromised way, in the rock n roll attitude we all used to admire and love in bands of the past. Nevertheless, we can’t advocate that the band plays something we haven’t heard before and personal identity is lost within the whirling of the stoner rock/hard rock sea of the 10’s.