MAMMOTH

The sound of this band has been gradually getting heavier and bigger with every release, so it is no surprise that this album is the band's heaviest to date. I'm not saying they're metal or anything, but kind of like how King Crimson can get heavy. The album starts off with some abrasive riffing by the guitars, with lots of crazy instrumental work the band has been known for.

The biggest surprise to me, is the addition of saxophone. Alto and soprano to be exact. It add such nice color to the sound, ironically getting heavier as I previously mentioned. He's not there to just play a solo and leave, he plays a crucial part to the songs he is on, particularly the 15 minute epic "And the Stone Said: If I Could Speak:", which by the way, might be the best song on the album.

Speaking of the mentioned epic, Rikard's vocals are just great on Mammoth. He sings with such passion, more so than on previous albums; to the point of screaming. It is all done tastefully, and he sings some beautiful lines.

As far as the rest of the band goes, everyone plays solid, especially Rikard. The guitars are louder than ever, but the bass is still heard. In fact, the bass stands out to me more than before. He plays some cool things, and of course holds everything together.

Some say the quirkiness Beardfish are known for is lacking, but I say it is the natural progression of their sound that is moving away from it. Any band I know that had quirkiness in their music eventually moved on from it, and there is nothing you can do; quirky music can get tiresome after a while.

All in all, this is a great record from a great band. I saw this album coming from miles away. Even at the point of Sleeping In Traffic part 2 the band were moving in the direction that this album has landed on. This album makes me excited to hear where the band will go next. If you enjoy quality modern prog with an edge, great vocals, strong instrumental interplay mixed with good songwriting, and none of that retro-prog (a Hammond organ does not automatically make a prog band retro), then this album is definitely for you. I cannot get enough of this album!

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