PAINTED MANTRA

From the land of our own dear Aussie Byrd comes Melbourne's amazing Mushroom Giant. Their roots go back to about 2002 and this is their third full-length release. Their live shows are very well received as they attempt to marry aural with the visual presentations that enhances the themes of their music.

Mushroom Giant are an entirely (currently) instrumental rock experience and what a journey this album is. My best description might be to start with Djam Karet level jamming, but with a bit more post-rock/metal feel than just space-psych. There are also similarities to popular favorites. If you are one of those prog fans who are always looking for that mystical missing link band that is a cross of Floydian landscapes with Rush-like power, this might be just the band you've been searching for. A dual-guitar attack joins keyboards and a powerful rhythm section, balancing technical virtuosity with emotion, and sending both to the edge of instrumental rock imagination without crossing into avant or dissonant realms. It is imaginative but it maintains accessibility as well. They move effortlessly from the serene and subtle to the heavy and epic allowing one to be absorbed, listening can become something more than just song, song, song. This is one of those albums that can be like a prog-rock fan's version of a rave, except rather than dance beats you have something much more winding and not repetitive, but still with a trance-like effect. Generally the sound is a powerful rock but they also employ Hammond and Rhodes as great contrasting sounds, as well as some ambient sounds. The 14 minute "Scars of the Interior" is a good starting track to get a summary taste of what Mushroom Giant does.

"They've always been a band with a talent for creating epic, cinematic soundscapes, but with "Painted Mantra" Mushroom Giant have taken it a step further. The sheer scope of the album is incredible. This isn't a record you can just drop in and out of at random. It's an experience, an hour-long voyage through a spectral brew of prog, post-rock, metal and Eastern-influenced rock. And they manage to do it all without vocals..." -WAYNE MARSHALL - Beat Magazine

You can sample or buy "Painted Mantra" on Bandcamp by clicking the band page link on their front PA artist page. It will definitely make my end of year list.

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