Wrexham five-piece psych-heads Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard bring forth the final act of their otherworldly trilogy, ‘Yn Ol I Annwn’, which translates from the Welsh tongue to “Return To The Underworld”. Last year saw them rise to new heights, with a split release with fellow doom-bringers Slomatics, as well as a handpicked spot at the Robert Smith-curated Meltdown Festival in London.
‘Tralfamadore’ engages lift-off with a head-spinning synth line that sets course for the far reaches of space. ‘The Spaceships Of Ezekiel’ is slow and fuzzy that starts the cycle of headbanging. You’ll be needing a neck massage after this! The constant warbling of synths that follow the rhythm section help reinforce the intergalactic sounds that are on show.
‘Fata Morgana’ takes its time sauntering into a sludgy powerhouse of a song halfway through. Although it drags on a bit, the trance-like song progression does make the mind wander in its psychedelic voyage. Title track ‘Yn Ol I Annwn’ is the most captivating track so far. The groovy guitar riff is so powerful that you’re brain is being fried whilst listening. It ends with a boatload of chunky riffs and crashing drums that are indestructible and shatter your senses.
‘Katyusha’ is a nod to metal titans Black Sabbath, with riffs that sound like they were birthed by Tony Iommi himself. The 13-minute track snowballs into an epic presentation of sludgy licks and rumbling drums that sonically cascade into a filthy showstopping tune. After the helter-skelter of dynamic shifts, ‘Five Days In The Abyss’ is a fitting end with fuzzy guitars that collide with angelic vocals, phasing synths and banging drums. The guitar solo cuts through the noisy music that sounds like a crash-landing of a rocket.
Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard have managed to round off their trilogy in grand fashion. They’ve produced an assortment of tracks that make you float to the heavens, all the while dragging you down into the muck with soothing vocals, erratic synths and colossal riffs that crack through the stratosphere. The sky is definitely not the limit for this band!
4/5
‘Yn Ol I Annwn’ by Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard is released on 1st March on New Heavy Sounds.
Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard links: Facebook | Bandcamp
Words by Dylan Whitty (@rootsinwax)
