From the off I was surprised Mustasch was an act I’d managed to miss despite a good few years listening to stoner rock, a genre that could have been invented to define the sound of this band from Goteborg in Sweden. The fact that I’d not heard their material, however, is remedied by this epic CD that covers the 5 year period of the band’s association with EMI that ended in 2005. And when I say epic, I really do mean epic, not only in terms of 18 tracks that fills all the memory available on the CD, but also the low chugging riffs of the band and their intergalactic lyrics.
All the normal effects of stoner are present in spades, heavy distortion laden guitar work mixing in with chugging bass lines, all powered from behind by thunderous doom laden drums. On vocal duties Ralf Gyllenhammar proves to be a better singer then the front men of many such acts, not just shouting about the band’s trip through inner and outer space, but delivering in a clear and occasionally operatic style much like The Cult’s Ian Astbury. He also doubles up as lead guitar, producing mid paced, sustain driven solos that wander across the sonic landscape built by the rest of the band.
For me, the track that arguably encapsulated their style was the magnificent “Fredrika” from their 2003 album “Rat Safari”. Starting with a simple hard rock riff that could have come from any of a number of classic 70’s hard rock acts, it is built up layer by layer into a wall of fuzz and pounding rhythm, the lyrics dedicated to an angel of truth that flies in to offer redemption to a tormented soul. The influence of early doom merchants like Black Sabbath can be heard throughout the band’s entire offering, but with little surprises like the orchestral string introduction to “Haunted by Myself” raising Mustasch above many would be Ozzy impersonators. Listening to the album in a single sitting it is hard to see any evolution or change in their style, the tracks not being in a chronological order, but seemingly randomly scattered from their back catalogue of LPs and EPs. This may not be true if they were listened to on the original releases, but all have been re-mastered for this release to a very high production level that may have ironed out any earlier inconsistencies. What you’re left with is a power packed journey through time and magic that should satisfy any stoner fan.
A look at their website lists just a single UK show in London at the Borderline on 5th June amongst a host of European festivals. I’ll definitely be trying to make that one, and if the dense soundscape Mustasch conjures up on CD can be matched by their live show, it will be one not to miss.
www.mustasch.net
www.myspace.com/mustasch
www.mustasch.de
