MANTAR - Ode To The Flame

Mantar – Ode To The Flame (2016, Nuclear Blast)

If you are new to this blog you should know that I am a fan of Black, Doom, and Hardcore but not very much about the label Nuclear Blast. The main reason is that their productions sound too professional (or too clean if you prefer) for some Metal genres. But, Mantar’s Ode To The Flame is the example of a great album done incredibly right.

The German duo behind Mantar have done it again after their highly appreciated Death by Burning in 2014, their mix of Black, Doom, and deviled Punk is rendered with a heavy yet violent production by Nuclear Blast. The melodic guitar riffs have this urgency of hard pounding and heavy destruction. In fact, it is incredible how a two piece band can sound so good.

Taking a melodic twist on a genre that literally destroys like a bulldozer. To me, Mantar is an equivalent to the great Children Of The Damned by Tribulation in 2015. It has terrific riffs, melodies that will make your neck ache for days and a satisfying effectiveness in its whole execution. There’s also this crusty element of Young And In The Way that gives an edge their sound. With the first single ‘’Era Borealis’’ is a great entry in the album and its culmination of ‘’Sundowning’’ closes a near perfect album.

With Fifth To Infinity, Mantar are challenging the title of Best Melodic Black/Death Metal album of 2016 as early as of April.

8.9