What we have here is “a rock album about sex, death and the pursuit of freedom”.
If you have no idea how the words above could be related, dear reader, and if you don’t find them appealing in the least, you can stop right here and move on to doing something else. And since I’ve told you the crux of the matter straight from the beginning, you really can’t complain.
If, however, you instantly see how rock, sex, death and the pursuit of freedom could be connected, and that very fitting description form the PR material gives you an idea about the music, you might as well read on. The album at hand might very well be to your liking.
Maggot Heart are a trio whose mastermind is Swedish guitarist and songwriter Linnéa Olsson. Since releasing their debut EP City Girls (2017) and their first full length Dusk to Dusk (2018), the band have gained some prominence in the underground music scene and gathered some illustrious fans – Fenriz being one of them. Their good repute is well deserved, because it was earned the only real way – through extensive touring.
The band’s music sounds simultaneously familiar and new. It’s pretty much straight rock: guitar, bass, drums and vocals. A bit raw sometimes, but always honest. You will be reminded of Patti Smith, Joan Jett, Siouxsie Sioux and Juliette Lewis. There is a post punk twist added to everything, which makes for an updated sound, not a retro one.
One of the major themes explored by Maggot Heart is the city as living organism. Second Class, High Rise and Modern Cruelty all comment on different aspects of big city life and the struggle for a meaningful existence. Gutter Feeling, my favourite track, reports about life in the gutter and how surprisingly liberating it can be: I might be a rat / but I live as I please / I’ve been tripping on that gutter feeling.
To sum up: Mercy Machine is an honest, sometimes raw rock album with a post punk twist. Pretty good.
(7.5/10 Slavica)
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