Manticora – Mycelium
Mighty Music
Release Date: 20/01/2024
Running Time: 46:45
Review by Chris Galea
7.5/10
“To Kill To Live To Kill” of 2020 was an ambitious and variegated album with a concept that continued from its predecessor. For me it was also an eye-opening release so I was really looking forward to the brand new album from this Danish band.
The new album has in fact arrived and with “Mycelium” Manticora have opted for a more straightforward approach. There’s no concept this time and the songs are more direct. We’re talking about what is essentially Prog Power Metal but with elements of Thrash, Gothic and even, occasionally, Black Metal. But let’s try to get more under the album’s skin….
“Mycelium” has plenty of instrumental passages that give the lyrics time to sink in. Songs such as ‘Demonday’ and ‘Golem Sapiens’ have an emphasis on heavy and relentless riffs tied together by epic melodies. The title-track embraces both heaviness and catchiness and perfectly encapsulates the album’s sound. Album closer ‘Día De Los Muertos’ (‘Day of the Dead’) has a distinct early Paradise Lost vibe to it in addition to sonorities you’d find in a Blind Guardian song. So “Mycelium” has several plus points even though as a whole it didn’t have the same jaw-dropping effect on me as the band’s previous album.
There’s another thing too… Manticora’s drummer Laurence Dinamarca doesn’t appear in the credits and in fact no drummer seems to be mentioned. Has the band used a drum machine? While this is unclear, I sensed a certain blandness in the drumming.
Despite my criticisms, there’s no denying that “Mycelium” is a quality release. It might not knock you out but it still packs a punch. Nevermore fans, take note.
Maticora ‘Beast Of The Fall’ official video:
TRACKLISTING:
01. Winter Solstice
02. Necropolitans
03. Demonday
04. Angel Of The Spring
05. Golem Sapiens
06. Mycelium
07. Beast Of The Fall
08. Equinox
09. Mementopolis
10. Día De Los Muertos
LINE-UP:
Kristian Larsen – guitars
Lars F. Larsen – vocals
Stefan Johansson – guitars
Kasper Gram – bass
LINKS:
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