Ten years Mantar has been alive.
Since their inception in 2012, the German duo consisting of Hanno (guitar/vocals) and Erinc (drums/vocals) have been releasing albums on a very regular basis. It’s time for Pain Is Forever and This Is the End, their fifth album, to be released by Metal Blade Records in 2022.
The album opens with Egoisto, a catchy track which sets the foundation for the saturated, groovy-influenced riffs before welcoming massive, ominous vocals. The rhythmic pattern sometimes lets through some dissonant harmonics, then Hang ‘Em Low (So the Rats Can Get ‘Em) takes over with some disturbing melodies. The abrasive sound with regular strikes is still part of this raw mix which lets vocals play the main role while accompanying it with waves of violence. The dark and melancholic tones give this track a rather particular atmosphere before Grim Reaping offers heavy influences, adding an original touch to the duo’s Sludge. We will also find heady sounds on Orbital Pus, a more psychedelic composition which also places some choirs on the vocal parts, then Piss Ritual will offer a more energetic and chaotic rhythmic. Crazy leads are perfectly integrated to this solid and catchy basis, then we have some catchy and heady sounds on Of Frost and Decay, a darker track. The cold riffs give an unhealthy flavor to the rhythmic while letting vocals spew their rage until the last moment before Walking Corpse brings this intriguing touch to the heavy sound. We find some straightforward aggressiveness on this track, somehow reminding the band’s roots, then New Age Pagan places a rather soft atmosphere while playing on a marked dissonance and some patterns borrowed from Punk. After a more energetic final, Horder comes to give us a rather soothing slowness, bringing out the band’s Black Metal roots without forgetting this throbbing groove. The track suddenly gets stronger, offering oppressive tones before Odysseus comes to mark the end of the album with heavy riffs, desperate and intense vocal parts, creating an as disturbing as striking wave of sound.
With Mantar, you can expect everything. Between visceral intensity and raw riffs, Pain Is Forever and This Is the End will offer us ten compositions with a very distinct identity, which makes it easy to focus on what you like about the band.
75/100