The Viking in the Wilderness Blog

Mangrove: A Distant Dream of Tomorrow (2010)

Swedish band MANGROVE was formed back in 2006, and made their debut on Transubstans Records three years later with the full length effort "Endless Skies". Just one year later they release their sophomore effort "A Distant Dream of Tomorrow", again opting for Transubstans as their label of choice.

70's style hard rock with a few bells and whistles is something of a speciality for Transubstans Records, with hard rock and progressive rock as the main genres they cover. Mangrove is a band with the main basis in the former, but do touch upon the latter at times, at least on this most recent effort.

Initially this CD comes across as by and large a Black Sabbath inspired creation. Doom-laden riffs with appropriate bass guitar supporting and melodic, powerful lead vocals on top kicks off this production, with just a tiny touch of psychedelic touches added in. But already on the second track some nice additional elements brought in courtesy of wind synths and carefully resonating clean and light-toned guitar licks heralds that Mangrove opts to be something more than mere purveyors of vintage doom metal.

And as the album unfolds we're basically treated to a band that merrily combines Iommi-inspired doom riffs with the gentler parts of Led Zeppelin's psychedelic inspired moments, often with both aspects combined within a single composition, arguably best exemplified on Walk Over the Oceans. But there are also examples of purebred lighter tinged Zeppelin inspired ventures, as splendidly explored on I've Been Seen Upon the Sun. There's also a treat in store for ardent fans of purebred psychedelic music in the shape of Chant of the Seas, a marvellous instrumental affair with reverberating, dreamladen haze-filled guitar textures that most likely will be enjoyed by those who enjoy certain mildly intoxicating illegal pleasures.

A couple of lacklustre tracks aside this is a good production for most anyone with a soft spot for 70's hard rock. If Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin are favourites of yours you will like this CD, how much depends on your taste for psychedelic touches and music that fearlessly treads in the footsteps of others.

My rating: 78/100