Mammoth Mammoth - Mammoth Bloody Mammoth EP
Australian group provide heavy and groove-ridden stoner rock
As retro rockers Graveyard showed last year on their fourth album Innocence & Decadence - which channelled bands like Thin Lizzy and Led Zeppelin despite staying original in its songwriting - a band that wears its inspirations on its sleeves is not necessarily unoriginal. Australian rockers Mammoth Mammoth have had their powerful riffs likened to Motörhead, their stoner rock grooves to Butthole Surfers and their psychedelic edge to metal pioneers Black Sabbath. These inspirations may be on the surface, but Mammoth Mammoth blend them up into one distinct, colossal groove-riff machine that is original in its approach. Before embarking on the Up In Smoke tour with fellow labelmates My Sleeping Karma and Greenleaf, the four-piece have dished up two new tracks and a cover that showcase this hard stoner rock style, alongside 'Dead Sea' - previously a Japan only bonus track.
Mammoth Mammoth specialise in powerful riffs that drive their tracks forward with an inherent coolness, with Mikey Tucker's Motley Crue-esque vocals holding a swagger Motley Crue themselves have never quite had. This is shown on new tracks 'Drugs' and 'Taste Your Blood', but 'Dead Sea' shows that this formula is not set in stone. Its slowed pace makes for a sedate and less chaotic energy, with the repetitive crunch of the riff over some hazy guitar tones making for an engrossing listen, albeit one that quickly becomes tedious.
Elsewhere, the new tracks are business as usual for the quartet. 'Taste Your Blood' packs a familiar punch, but 'Drugs' in particular stands out due to its uncompromisingly forceful style. It holds some great songwriting, such as the inclusion of a subtle but effective mini solo as part of an interlude.
Covering MC5's 'Kick Out The Jams' is a task attempted by many over the years, ranging from the likes of Rage Against The Machine to Jeff Buckley. It has been covered to the extent that doing so is almost a statement of intent - when a song has been played in so many unique ways, it takes balls to try and find another new way to do it. Many would be unlikely to manage anything above average, so Mammoth Mammoth are to be commended for their commanding take on the song. The inescapably catchy riff fits their riff-driven style perfectly, and the fuzzy tones add a new element that truly makes it Mammoth Mammoth's own.
It's not the full-length fans will be waiting for following last year's Volume IV: Hammered Again, but Mammoth Bloody Mammoth showcases the band's distinct talent for groovy but heavy stoner rock. It displays the obvious inspirations behind their sound, but the Australian's signature flair keeps it original and exciting, even when covering the timeless 'Kick Out The Jams'. 'Dead Sea' may suggest they aren't quite prepared to tackle anything too far outside their comfort-zone, but it displays their ambition and shows promise for less predictable full-lengths in future years.
7.5/10
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