Fifteen years is a lifetime for some bands. For Italy’s venerable psychedelic doom masters Ufomammut, they have existed solely outside the mainstream, making their longevity and high quality output all the more respectable. Toiling early on as an underground curiosity, they forged a path on their own before there was hipsters, festivals such as Roadburn, or entire websites dedicated to giving props to these kind of bands (like ours). Still, you have to admire the temerity of artists who stay the course and never stray for a second. Celebrating their achievements while prepping for the next chapter (the impending Ecate on Neurot Recordings), the band has released a comprehensive documentary, history lesson/performance with the 15 Years of Ufomammut DVD (Supernatual Cat).

The band are part of the visionary art collective Malleus and with Barbara Baader Meinhal, helped craft DVD from the filming, to the art and the packaging. The band and some of their peers tell the history of the group, from its inception up to now in a casual, matter of fact manner that is disarmingly honest and humble. Drawn together by almost cosmic forces, the music they have conjured is practically another member of the band. They definitely feel beholden to a force that compels them to do what they do. It’s hard to tell if they are playing the movements together, or the other way around. Shot mostly in a sepia tones and black and white, it does have hint of seriousness about it. The packaging, created for collectors is stellar. Later on during the extras and the hilarious outtakes, any sense of that disappears until you are almost in tears from laughing. Yes, an extremely metal (supernatural) kitty cat was involved in said outtakes.

 

The performance is really the desert. A jaw-dropping performance on display, each of the players Poia, Urlo and Vita pay a deep homage to all that is heavy, transformative, and weird. The set list is superb (all three parts of the ‘Eve’ suite, ‘Stigma’, ‘Zerosette’, and ‘Sulpherdew’ are just a few of the endless highlights. They soak up each note in the collective unconsciousness that united them in the first place, wringing every bit of emotion from each note. Note only are there terrific singular performances captured, one gets a feeling that the live environment is really where they create and destroy the most. Many deft shots, Dutch angles, overhead shots, special effects, and keen eye for innovative perspectives make this a visually stunning performance film as well. At the 15-year mark, Ufomammut is clearly just getting warmed up.

 

9.0/10

WORDS BY KEITH CHACHKES