ALBUM REVIEW: Mothman And The Thunderbirds – Into The Hollow


Ever since I was a kid, I have had a deep interest in cryptozoology. While I can accept most of these hypothetical creatures as misidentifications or outright fabrications as an adult, there is still the part of me that likes to imagine the possibilities. As a musician myself, a cryptozoology-themed band has also been on my bucket list for a long time. I’m sure plenty of bands with that sort of theming are out there, but the debut album from Mothman And The Thunderbirds makes for a particularly interesting variation.

As with many bands under the Progressive Metal umbrella, one can hear several influences at work on Into The Hollow (Self-Released). Gojira and Mastodon are the two best fitting reference points, the former is especially reflected through the riffs’ emphasis on sludgy, stop-start chugs and the mix of harsh and clean vocals. One can also detect hints of Devin Townsend in the relentlessly flamboyant melodies and musicianship while the occasional vocal effects trigger Cynic associations.

The musicianship splendidly lives up to the style at hand, especially when you consider that practically all the instruments are performed by Alex Parkinson and the occasional guest. The guitar and bass playing are particularly tasteful, boasting earthy tones that strengthen the rhythms whether they aim for chunky stomps or choppy precision. The drums are obviously programmed but have enough weight to fit in with the other instruments. The vocals end up being more of a mixed bag; the cleans are sufficiently varied while the grunts lack a certain punch.

I must also admit that the songwriting was tricky to wrap my head around though not in the way that one would expect from the genre. In contrast to the long runners that typically define Prog Metal, Into The Hollow is barely over a half-hour long with a majority of songs well below or barely trickling past the three-minute mark. Subsequently, the tracks are an interesting mix of short but self-contained rockers, snappy vignettes, and brief melodic interludes. It could’ve all amounted to a directionless mess, but this drive-by songwriting method makes for an incredibly well-flowing whole.

It also helps that the songwriting is insanely varied for such a short effort. The counterpoint vocals make ‘Mothman Takes Flight’ an incredibly fun opener despite being less than two minutes long. ‘Hollow Earth’ and ‘Nomad’ stand out for their stomping riffs and catchy vocal lines while acoustic guitar work gives ‘Cloud Giant’ some rustic folk sensibility. The amusingly titled ‘The Simpsons = Real Footage’ is another major winner thanks to the faster tempos and female lead vocals offering a dramatic change of pace.

Overall, Mothman And The Thunderbirds’ debut album seems to be tailor-made for social media-era music consumption. Their style makes no bones about its influences while offering a unique flavor and some tight musicianship for a largely one-man project. The brief lengths initially seem to be catered for shorter attention spans but end up crafting a variety of focused ideas into a compact mold without getting too weird for weirdness’s sake. I find myself wishing that some tracks were longer, but they never really feel underdeveloped either, resulting in a grower that aggressively demands replay value. It does my heart good to see these elements be used this efficiently on a debut album and I hope this project gets enough momentum to finetune them even further in the future.

 

Buy the album here: https://mothmanandthethunderbirds.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-hollow

 

9 / 10

CHRIS LATTA