Mammoth Grinder is one of those super-group bands that, for me personally, are superior to the constituent members’ main bands. Off the top of my head, bands like Black Curse and Stormkeep are other great examples. Don’t get me wrong, I have a lot of respect for Power Trip and the various other originating outfits of this band. But something about Mammoth Grinder‘s take on extreme music just pulls together the right threads to weave an excellent sonic tapestry. And this is especially evident on the band’s new EP, Undying Spectral Resonance.
Whereas some of the band’s previous efforts more conspicuously displayed their hardcore roots, this EP completely subsumes that spirit into a purely metallic experience. Apparently the band put a lot of effort into shaping their vision here, as mainman Chris Ulsh notes: “On all our other records, I was unhappy with the previous one and there was stuff that I wanted to change. This time, I knew what the band should sound like. But mostly, I think I was trying to prove to myself that I could still write something that was nasty, that I thought was sick, punky death metal.”
From the very outset, you can tell there’s something different about this release. Apparently Demigod was a huge influence on them this time around, and you can definitely hear that come through along with echoes of Dismember, Asphyx, and other death metal staples. However, there’s a few other elements at play in the opening track “Corpse of Divinant.” According to Ulsh: “The bridge riff was super inspired by the US black metal band Demoncy. It’s kind of jarring, but it’s my favorite part.” Go to the 1:38 mark and you’ll hear it right away. So DAMN GOOD. Do more of this!
Likewise, the brutal simplicity of the title track recalls the ferocity of Bestial Devastation and Morbid Visions-era Sepultura, while the track’s power has subtle notes of Bolt Thrower mixed in as well. It’s a real crusher, and the reason you go to a band like this.
After an eerie and cinematic interlude track we have “Decrease The Peace” (heh, cool name). This one turns up the stomp-and-groove factor, with guitar tones that recall peak-era Entombed at their slower moments while delivering the power of bands like Jungle Rot, Vader, and Obituary. I suppose this song most-closely evokes the awesome artwork; the demonic beast emerging out of his lair to feast upon the innocent!
Finally, the band presents us with “Obsessed With Death,” perhaps the most energizing track on the release. When it comes to modern, straighforward death metal, you’d be hard pressed to find a finer example than this rousing number.
The only disappointing thing about the release is that it’s only an EP. The band does such a fantastic job here that it leaves me wanting more. But I suppose that’s a great marker of success as well. The band is absolutely on the right path with this approach and should continue leaning into influences like Demigod and Demoncy as the continue to push their sound forward. More of the same, please.
