Mantar, namely mushroom in Turkish and a band from Bremen in Germany, have always been something special. The duo composes a unique style that has received so much acclaim that the size of the fanbase has grown up hugely. Now, they bring out their fourth album ‘Pain Is Forever And This Is The End’ and I was already excited about the new stuff from them.
For me, Mantar have always been a band that manages to incorporate the live spirit into their albums and make you want to go to their gigs. After the cover EP, ‘Grungetown Hooligans II’, which came out in between but didn’t really grab me, singer and guitarist Hanno as well as drummer Erinç have released a real banger again. The new album ‘Pain Is Forever And This Is The End’ overall brings back what the fanbase loves about Mantar: filth, powerful energy, banging groove, punk attitude, and a bite of insanity. Admittedly, I thought the first single “Hang ‘Em Low (So the Rats Can Get ‘Em)” was a bit lame at first, but the more I heard the song, the better it got, especially in the overall context of the album, the song is just really fitting. This would be the one song that I would call the weakest because it personally gives me too little of what I listed earlier that makes up Mantar’s music.
In general, all the songs are very fitting to each other and form a great whole. If you’re not happy with their first song released, the album won’t disappoint either way as well as their second released single “Odysseus”. As is often the case, it is also an album that gets better and better the more you listen to it. I’m also very excited to hear some of the songs live; especially songs like “Grim Reaping”, “Piss Ritual” or “Egoisto” invite live for sure to bang your head and go crazy! I already have a lot of desire to be able to experience the songs of the new record live on the next tour (hopefully :P)! In summary, it’s a very, very good album that has just the things that are the signature of Mantar. This also applies to the overall sound. There is everything that belongs to a good record and composition quality from Mantar. Small insertions of synthesizers, crazy guitar effects, nasty singing, fine song dynamics, and voice samples give the record even more character and make the thing well done.
People who don’t know Mantar, but want to get to know a unique one, should definitely give this album a chance! If you know and love Mantar, you definitely have to get the new album ‘Pain Is Forever And This Is The End’. It has everything Mantar is about: filth, powerful energy, banging groove, punk attitude, and a bite of insanity. It’s definitely a buy recommendation! If you’re broke, it’s worth doing a theft. I love it and my Mantar hunger is finally satisfied for now, but the album still makes my appetite for more hot, filthy sh*t!
