Tuesday 10 April 2018

Monster Magnet - Mindfucker (Album Review)



Release date: March 23rd 2018. Label: Napalm Reocrds. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

MINDFUCKER – Tracklisting

1.Rocket Freak 03:29
2.Soul 05:26
3.Mindfucker 04:59
4.I'm God 06:16
5.Drowning 07:20
6.Ejection 03:27
7.Want Some 05:48
8.Brainwashed 03:22
9.All Day Midnight 03:59
10.When The Hammer Comes Down 05:47

Members

Dave Wyndorf (Vocals)
Ed Mundell (Guitar)
Phil Caivano (Guitar)
Jim Baglino (Bass)
Bob Pantella (Drums)

Review

Greetings All,

Monster Magnet has returned with their first new album in 4 years. Well apart from the Remix/Redux albums they released in 2014 and 2015. 

Mindfucker and the band is back in a big way and as bombastic as ever. The band unleashes a refreshingly killer mix of garage, punk, and metal with enough stoner and psychedelia to make it go down real smooth. While the album is heavy there is much more of a definite early 70’s rock/punk sound.

You can hear the Stooges, MC5 and Ramones in almost every track all with Monster Magnets own spin. There are also some 60’s pop influences that pop up from time to time that are quite welcome. The songs are all very tight on Mindfucker and the album moves quickly and effortlessly through its 10 amazing tracks. Main man Dave Wyndorf sounds energized and as good as ever. Like most of Monster Magnet songs the theme of the record, hence the title, seems to be the human mind. Which is a topic of infinite possibilities, and the band hits it hard from a lot of different angles.

The garage rock inspired Rocket Freak opens the record with a million mile an hour driving beat. Soul follows and lives up to its name, it has bombastic 70’s soul music feel about it. The title track, Mindfucker is a super catchy rocker with a big juicy riff. The production and feel of the songs makes them feel like they were recorded sometime in the mid 1970’s. That vibe is very apparent on I’m God which is an effortlessly catchy jam.

The band slows it down and brings the heavy in with Drowning. This beast being the most metal sounding track on the record. Ejection is an old school 60’s style rocker ala the Kinks. Want Some comes in with some serious rock n roll swagger and backs it up 120%. You hear a later 70’s punk/Ramones-esque feel on Brainwashed. My favorite track on the record is the dark 60’s/70’s AM rock (for those of you that even know what that is) of All Day Midnight. This jam brings the riff and a killer hook and a goddam sitar. What more do you need.

The album closes with the epic sound of When the Hammer Comes Down. It is a somewhat slower, heavier mid-tempo rocker that reminded me a bit of the Obsessed in the delivery. There is a killer shift towards the end that picks up the pace and closes the record with an extremely satisfying feel.

Monster Magnet have been around for close to 30 years. This record deserves recognition as one of the best records the band has put out. I wouldn’t necessarily say that Mindfucker is a change in style as the band has always been a tough one to pigeon-hole into any one sound.

However, it is a welcome addition to the bands already illustrious catalogue. If you dig Monster Magnet there is absolutely no reason you will not flip you lid for this killer record. Track it down and rock out, since that is exactly what these guys want you to do!

- Todd S

Instagram @alltheghoststhathauntyou

Words by Todd Stealey

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