ACID MAMMOTH – Caravan
Release Date: 5th March 2021
Label: Heavy Psych Sounds
Bandcamp
Genre: Doom Metal, Stoner Rock.
FFO: Black Sabbath, Red Fang.
Review By: Lucas Di Mascio
Doom metal bands fall into one of three categories – the more traditional sound (ie: Black Sabbath), the gothic (ie: Draconian) or the psychedelic/stoner (ie: Red Fang). While I tend to prefer the gothic side of doom metal, since I find the traditional and psychedelic veins of the subgenre to be a bit too tired and lacking in the production department, there are a few bands in those niches that I find myself gravitating towards. Acid Mammoth is a good blend of the traditional doom and psychedelic sounds, and while their production and songwriting won’t do anything to convert a non-fan of the genre, they’ve created a great album with Caravan that will appease the most die-hard of doom fans.
Right away on the opening track, Berserker, you’re met with crushing drums, lush sludgy guitar tones and thick bass guitar. Chris Babalis Jr.’s vocals are a little too much like Ozzy Osbournes in their nasally tone and cadence, but as are many vocalists in this genre of metal. While everything sounds massive, and the tones are all oozing with character, I wish Acid Mammoth would work on some varied vocal styles- throw some growls in, layer the vocals with some more interesting harmonies. The vocals kind of just drone on with the guitars and bass at times which just causes the songs to feel even longer than they are. Some of the riffs sound pretty similar too unfortunately- and all the songs have the same emphasis on a really slow plodding rhythm. But what makes things interesting are the melodic aspects in the guitar riffs. They create a very thick wall of sound with both guitars doing different things that support each other in the composition.
Some of the highlights in this record are Psychedelic Wasteland – it has some riffs in it reminiscent of My Dying Bride at times, with their melodic harmonies creating a dark atmosphere, and the title track which is an 11 minute dirge of sludgy atmospheres. I always felt that this genre was best experienced in a live setting, so I would love to see what Acid Mammoth’s live show is like and if their mammoth sized (pun intended) wall of sound barreling out of the speakers matches in intensity during a live show.
While I’m not too keen to listen to this record again, in favor of putting on Draconian, Woods of Ypres, Paradise Lost or The Sword instead, the commitment to listening to Acid Mammoth’s Caravan in its entirety might be worthwhile to die hard doom metal/stoner rock fans looking for another fix. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it’s a solid record from start to finish, only encumbered by the similarity in its songs due to each one having a similarly snail crawl of a tempo and uninspired vocal performance.
(3 / 5)
