MÆNTRA are an American extreme metal band residing in San Francisco, California and have released their debut self released full-length titled Kundalini Rising. Musically and stylistically, the band plays a aggressive, visionary, philosophical and atmospheric hybrids of both brutal death metal and industrial metal with lyricism reflecting spirituality and meditative themes to really match the album’s presentation. These guys also feature dominating atmospheres of chaotic, brutalized and bloody signature melodies that are far beyond measured and precise within the production value Kundalini Rising is presented.
I would also like to point out the album heavily focuses on slow-pitched atmospheres, slamming brutal death metal institutions and complex new school sounding soundscapes. From the songwriting, memorable structures of aggressive musicality, lyricism, production and originality is concerned, Kundalini Rising is a album any brutal death metal fan will be heavily on guard to witness a genre so fresh and fully capable to comprehend the band’s naturalist progression to date. It’s got technical riffs, merciless blast beats, putrid vocals and abrasive & bizarre messages to showcase artistic and stylistic territories to unleash a wrath so distinguished you’ll be wandering what in the hell did I even listen to?
Even tracks such as Anahata and Svadhisthana have industrialized soundscapes, groove arrangements and a production so dense and elegant you all should witness the true power of this upcoming band and with that being said, Kundalini Rising is a experimental, yet brutalized album that will draw fans of brutal death and industrial metal and surely keep an eye out for brighter things in the distant future for these Californians.
Overall Score: 8.5/10
Review by Jake Butler
