As with many of the bands that lay themselves bare on the operating table of criticism, many are completely unknown to me before I wield my blunted, dirty, rusty medical accoutrements in a botched operation of critical prose, that is as offensive as it is an act of false modesty and genuflection at my own alter of smug. But of course, that is enough about me and what of the hideously named Mantar (Turkish for mushroom for those who are interested). As mentioned, this Germanic two piece, have previously skirted under my radar and so taking a cold bath in their back catalogue, this their fourth album has not just performed a volte face in terms of its musical direction, but snapped it’s back, ripped out is spine and called itself Brian. I get it. Bands change, bands morph, people grow up, find new musical muses, circumstances in their lives dictate the quality and composition of their sound. Some, cannot abide change, fearing it as you would fear the grim reaper, Daddy’s Brown sauce or racism. Some like things just as there are, or have been, change is to be feared, rejected, and railed against for reasons. I understand this, I have often been on the end of long loved bands, getting up in the middle of the night and cheating on me with the dog next door. It can be disconcerting, tantamount to treason, but much of the music loving population are mature enough to understand the whys and the wherefores.

Now, Mantar (and I have lectured ((yes this is a lecture…of sorts)) before on the whole concept of two- and three-piece bands) make a fuck ton of noise for two people (although I suspect there may well be a bank of keyboards, auxiliary guitarists and others adding to the aural bukkake) which is impressive enough and it always adds a frisson of danger and adventurism in my humble opinion. That being the case, I just cannot get my head around this album at all. It may be the heat, which is gentling wrapping its dusty arms around me, whilst sticking its fiery fingers into my eyes whilst sucking all available moisture from my body. Extreme weather conditions withstanding, having given this a virtual spin three or four times, I still don’t get it. If anything, I am growing to dislike this album in increments upon each listen and by the time the final song slopes its way back to the changing room, I am tempted to simply give up the ghost and refuse to review it. Listening back to Mantar’s back catalogue, there are moments of black metal galloping and eery interludes, underpinned with some distorted, rasping vocals, that segue into dirty Melvins/Nirvana/Mudhoney like beautifulness and all underpinned with a lovely grimy guitar. Whilst it’s not exactly inventive, it’s propellant and engaging. Certainly, on their first two or three albums at least.

BUT, on ‘Pain is Forever and This Is the End’ the band seemed to have dispensed with much which made them a compelling and interesting listen and replaced it with stagey sounded vocals (although to be fair, some of the black metal styled rasping remains) and a grungy, insipid and bluesy feel, that sounds at odds with the more metallic sounds in play on this collection of songs. The contrast between this album and what has gone before, is so stark that it’s either a work of utter genius or a fuck up of gargantuan proportions that may well end up alienating their fanbase and new joiners alike. There are moments where this comes across like a hack blues/rock cover band playing in the film Roadhouse. It also contains singalong choruses and guitar riffs that segue into Black album era Metallica (but not in a good way). It has retained some metallic elements of yore but has conjoined them with light rock and blues, which is as jarring as it sounds. It’s akin to The Almighty fronted by Gaahl, it’s as incongruous as it sounds, and again, not in a good way. I am really struggling to say something positive here, being as this album is, a right old mix of styles, that don’t seem to complement each other but antagonise and rub up against other in such a way, that it flays the skin, pours salt into the wound, and sets it on fire. Look, I may well be the wrong person to have reviewed this album, and I maybe I have not only got the wrong end of the stick but, have missed the stick altogether and have come up with a dog egg instead. What I do know, in my opinion, (of which this is), Mantar have not only jumped the shark, but have taken said shark, stuffed it full of walnuts and orange juice and put it in charge of parking enforcement in Poole. Baffling confused and worst of all dull.

(4/10 Nick Griffiths)

https://www.facebook.com/MantarBand

https://mantar.bandcamp.com/album/pain-is-forever-and-this-is-the-end