Whilst in the world of classical music, instrumental pieces are the norm, in the rock genre it can be a hard thing to pull off. There is a pretty much programmed expectation in the listener of ‘verse, chorus, verse’, as Nirvana satirised, so to eschew vocals as a means of story-telling can be a brave and risky move. However, Mushroom Giant have been dedicating themselves to this style for over twenty years now, their skill and wealth of experience shining through in every track of ‘In A Forest’.
Whilst maybe not a concept album as such, the band admit that each track on the album is inspired by their time spent in the Australian wilderness, different aspects of their adventures informing the different sounds. Album opener ‘Owls’ is a surprisingly intense and sonically dense work, threaded through with an underlying threat, the same being reflected by the menacing cover art of a pair of the steely eyed raptors. Popular culture may have framed owls in a friendly light, such as the wise Owl of Winnie The Pooh fame, but in this track the band remind you that they are in fact fiercely efficient predators. ‘Vestige’ follows with an altogether more mellow opening, but this quickly builds layer by layer into something altogether more primal, ebbing and flowing like a passing storm, ‘Earthrise’ offering a far more mellow counterpoint, with gentler, near pastoral tones, but an underlying hardness remaining ever present, perhaps a reminder that whilst the wilderness can be nurturing, it can also be unforgiving.
Far more strident is ‘Aire River Rapids’, and whilst I know nothing about the local topography, I can only assume from the relentless pummelling of the music that it is a white-water experience that needs skill to negotiate, the track finishing with a triumphant guitar note, presumably the same triumph felt at successfully surviving the river. ‘Mountain Ash’ keeps up the pace, and indeed the menace, sounding more like it should be the music that accompanies a movie serial killer chasing their victim through darkened corridors than something that brings to mind a country hike. I’m beginning to wonder if the bit of the outback these gents travel through is actually Wolf Creek, and if ‘And The Early Remains’ that comes next is a reference to where the bodies are stashed as there is a real darkness that runs through both. The journey is closed out by ‘The Green Expanse’, and for once the potential for stillness in nature is captured by the minimalistic delivery, simple beats and plucked notes offering a healing balm to sooth away the terrors of prior tracks.
Without lyrics Mushroom Giant are able to paint vivid pictures with their music, an ability that is to be envied, and with ‘In A Forest’ they are able to create a portrait that encompasses both the beauty and danger that can be found in nature.
(8/10 Spenny)
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