Crushing, heavy stoner which “delivers the perfect soundtrack for a road trip in the sun” is what’s offered here from Solar Mantra. It remains to be seen what is sunny about this work, but the artwork suggests that we’re in psychedelic territory and is, according to the band, an expression of wishing to escape the black hole of social rules.
“Stone Rider” sounds from its title like an old song. The style is indeed old school, comprising a dark and fuzzy 70s vibe with vocals to match. At this point I should be digging the deep groove. It’s from the school of Electric Wizard. It’s certainly done soulfully. “Pacciani” has more melody and bounce, ending with a bluesy-soulful section. The story of “Candy Man” is that of a punter paying more for the services of a prostitute he has fallen in love with than he thinks. Highlighting “the bitterness of life”, it’s just an old fashioned hard rock tale. All that’s missing are the fags and the alcohol, and indeed the Americans as Solar Mantra are from Italy. I half expected Canned Heat to pop in, but in truth Solar Mantra are more rock- than blues-orientated, witness the next “classic” song “Monster from the Abyss”. The heavier sludgier vibe that I expected came on “Mazinga”, a languid bluesy number. I felt the pain on the equally languid and I suppose psychedelic song “This Iz”. Deep Purple’s “Black Night” is what came to my mind when I first heard “Hard as a Stone”. I think that’s due to the vocals and maybe the tempo as this song rumbles on its fuzzy way. Fuzzy turns into Ozzy on “Hurricane”, a Black Sabbath soundalike on this overwhelmingly retro experience. In fact I’m not sure we ever got out of the 70s. On it rumbles in penetrative fashion with darkness and mystery on “Snake”. The guitar section at the end of this song made me realise how grey this album had been. The dull riff on the closing title song is enhanced by a psychedelic whistle but the tone smacks of suffering. I can’t fault the musicianship, which is good and true to the style, and there is a sombre feeling of time and place with added psychedelia but it was never going to set my blood racing.
“Away” is like a time piece. This album of rumbling rock fuzz didn’t take me away to the sun, but I imagine that other people with different sensibilities will get more carried away by its vibe than I did.
(6/10 Andrew Doherty)
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