September 27
These sorts of reviews are my favourites. The ones where you know next to nothing about the band and therefore get to listen with completely unbiased or pre-programmed ears.
What I do know is that Perth metal/post-metal/doom outfit Neomantra are on the cusp of releasing their latest EP Paranosis, said to be “a grimdark doom metal tale in five acts”.
That’s enough to spark my interest so off I go, pressing play to reveal opening track Consciousness.
Launching straight into a sludgy as fuck drum and guitar intro, Consciousness sets the tone for a desolate, bleak sonic landscape before the guitars gain more urgency and start spiralling into darker territory that sees vocalist/guitarist Royce Zanetic take over with a menacing growl that reeks of unapologetic spite.
The music continues to swirl as the vocals resume hostilities before Neomantra produce a delicate dropping of tempo into a more deliberate and laborious accounting of terms.
There’s a bit going on here as instruments speed up and retract haphazardly, while an almost subliminal spate of electronics act as a pathway to another sonic realm that appears to exist below the subconscious level.
It’s pretty fucken good stuff and extremely well crafted.
There is an overwhelming feeling of hatred at the core of Consciousness, although at who or what this is directed has yet to become apparent. A quickening of guitars again precedes a slower breakdown with a heavy as fuck bottom end ensuring each passage of music lingers in the air long after the initial note fades into the distance.
Promising beginning!
Astral Prison takes over with a chugging guitar riff that folds back into itself sporadically to allow a steady drum pattern from Greg Turner to lay the foundations. Zanetic wastes little time in returning to battle, his harsh vocals dominating the landscape and dictating the rites of passage to come.
Once more the guitars move into an alternating formation of varying tempos that drift in and out of the song to great effect. But this is definitely a vehicle for Zanetic who spits and snarls with devastating frequency and effect. Something I rarely say of vocals I can barely understand.
Jarod Callow and Zanetic make their guitars an integral part of the journey, flippantly injecting themselves wherever necessary, proving scope for Turner to speed things up before Astral Prison draws to a close courtesy of tempered static that could almost be a dwindling heart beat.
Dualism II throws up the first surprise with a slow intro that summons feelings of impending sorrow and regret. It is a haunting and delicate piece of music that I’m guessing is Neomantra’s ballad of sorts, but it hasn’t lost me yet…
The song meanders at its own pace without overstaying its welcome, adding a touch of sombreness and anxiety to the EP that threatens to explode at any moment. But instead it fades to a passive conclusion, void of lyrics but still packing emotion.
Botlzmann Brain (Thought Experiment) picks up the slack, reverting to the initial sludge fuelled drums and guitar that introduced the EP. A swirling pit of menace, the guitars continue to impact long after Zanetic imparts his feelings, giving off an ominous warning of things to come.
At over seven minutes long it is inevitable this track will go through a number of ebbs and flows, which eventually arrive courtesy of increased urgency in the guitars and a more up-tempo feel that suggests anger and contempt.
A tasty guitar solo about halfway through hastens things even more, as things step up a notch in every department. Zanetic remains in darkness for an extended period, allowing his bandmates to direct the carnage which they do with ease before the vocals return to continue their mission and take Botlzmann Brain to conclusion.
Atman Brahman threatens an epic finale with a splattering of guitars and heavy handed drums that promise more of the same before a breakdown of sorts sends the song reeling into another universe of doom and reflection.
Neomantra certainly know how to craft a song, with clever use of atmospherics adding depth and a sense of impending danger at almost every turn. Each song tells a sonic tale of its own but also fits neatly into an unforeseen narrative which simmers delicately below the surface.
Atman Brahman is no exception, almost rhythmically pounding you into submission by way of mesmerizingly heavy undertones of darkness. Things change up again briefly before the song’s conclusion, hinting at even more future musical expansion from Neomantra but for now the band have left what will only be a lasting impression with Paranosis.
Top notch effort!
