Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, now known as MWWB, have beaten odds to come back with album number four, “The Harvest”. Recorded during the pandemic, the release has been delayed after guitarist, Paul Michael “Dave” Davies suffered a life threatening stroke. Now that he’s on the rehabilitation road to recovery, the band will allow this album to see the light of day…and what an album it is. Produced by Chris Fielding, this marks a huge step forward for a band who already had a unique sound.
Opening with “Oblock Megallana”, the sci-fi atmospherics are well and truly on display with an almost Black Sabbath “E5150” quality and robotic spoken words. However, the true scale of the album comes through on the title track with its’ epic, synth swathed doom. Undeniably MWWB, this instantly feels more focussed than ever. A choppy riff sits under cosmic sounds and Jess Ball’s ethereal, floating vocals. John Carpenter’s name often pops up when reading about MWWB and it’s no surprise as this is truly cinema sized. Rich, luxurious and bold, “Interstellar Wrecking” has a depth of atmospherics. They still know how to riff hard though; “Logic Bomb” and “Altamira” are massive slabs of doom with the latter so close to With The Dead that I half expected Lee Dorian’s vocals to burst out of the speakers.
The album shows off a more progressive slant on tracks like “Betrayal” which has one foot firmly in Pink Floyd territory. “Let’s Send These Bastards Whence” is captivating with sounds like interstellar signals floating around and the lush synth tones enveloping the mind before a move to the gritty tones of “Strontium”. The full versatility and thoughtfulness of the band comes through on closing track “Moonrise” and its’ very raw guitar and a simple, reflective sound. Jess’s vocals are so pure with minimal effects and a folk styled delivery. A very beautiful and honest song, it’s a serene end to a massive album.
This is a simply stunning work of art. Epic, grand and majestic, it is without a doubt the defining opus in the band’s catalogue. The size and scale of the sound proves to be the perfect culmination of the musicianship, song writing and production. With a uniqueness and an ability to transport the mind into the cosmos this is a must have for lovers of British heavy music. Finally, all of us at Ave Noctum wish Dave a speedy recovery – all the best sir.
(9/10 Johnny Zed)
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