BLUE MAMMOTH

To paraphrase a quote Frank Zappa once made about jazz: prog isn't dead, it just smells funny. That is something of the impression that I get with Blue Mammoth, a promising new hard rock band from Brazil. Although many of the traditional school in prog tend to go for that 'symphonic' sound that Yes and Genesis made popular, these dudes instead go for a harder rocking, guitar-driven sound. Although they do not go around sporting the sort of virtuosic pomp that prog has become somewhat notorious for, they earn a firm place in Brazil's progressive music scene. Blue Mammoth's self-titled debut does not possess the sort of standout quality that would have warranted an unquestioning recommendation, but the band's tasteful approach to progressive rock is well worth keeping an eye on in the future.

Blue Mammoth's sound first reminded me of the popular Swedish group Beardfish; an ironic statement considering that Beardfish released an album titled 'Mammoth' the very same year this debut came out. The music takes a few pages from the classic 70's hard rock scene, but also from the highly melodic AOR brand of rock. Blue Mammoth are never technical, instead focusing in on melodies, only focusing on the arrangements when it suits the songwriting. Blue Mammoth execute and perform the album with a very professional sound and production. Where I am less impressed is that there aren't any 'highlights', or moments in the album where I was caught by surprise. Blue Mammoth sound like many bands in their league, and while they write some effective material, I never felt like the band was covering any new ground with it. The musicianship is fairly tame by today's prog standards, but as I said, it fits the sort of anthemic songwriting that the band feels drawn towards.

'Blue Mammoth' is a good debut album, but I cannot quite say that it's anything more than that. Blue Mammoth do not yet have the unique voice to boldly stake their claim within the progressive rock universe, but in regards to the evident artistic sincerity I am hearing here, I would not close the doors to the possibility that Blue Mammoth could have great things in store for them in the future.

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