BESIDES THE SUB_BUNKER

This is a great album deriving from the widespread space rock field based on soaring guitars and synths all over! It is not much known about this Aussie band and the myspace site is frozen since spring 2008 - leading to the assumption that SH'MANTRA went into hibernation at least. Very sad - anyhow - they have left us a legacy of five albums which are really worth it to explore for a genre fan. Many songs are faded in resp. out here and therefore the album sounds like made of hand-picked excerpts from several exceptional jam sessions. A best-of compilation so to say with a vinyl length - enough though to come to the conclusion that they have produced another big hit!

The album starts with a classic and intriguing space rocking thing called Bunker. In contrary to the title which implies rather feelings like fear or anxiety this sounds really unbounded, trancy floating and offers buoyant spirit. A hypnotic bass line and interesting varied drums nearly acting like a solo instrument are getting my attention. Guitars and synthesizer are playfully corresponding. The trip continues on a Boat in this way with sawing guitars. On Paradigm a funky bass strikes, blending into the trippy atmosphere and slowly but surely the band opens the door to the experimental territory.

Magnificent Illusion continues eclectic industrial tinged where Turning Grey and Shifting to the Side seems to run midway through hallucinatory Amon Düül 2 sessions. Next several samples are thrown together with the result that you are running in danger to lose the orientation ... and then the bands changes to the jazzy as well as weird Ping Depth. A heavy bass in the vein of Tribe After Tribe and tribal percussion are serving an ethno note additionally until finally Aarken Khaan returns back to the grooving trippy sound which later escalates with heavy organ support and slicing guitars.

'Besides The Sub_Bunker' delivers a bunch of impressions - anything but boresome - however a conclusion which only matured after some rounds. Hopefully this is not the band's last breathe. It would be a shame. They have the opportunity to make music which is above average. At least one SH'MANTRA album should be a basic obligation for every space rock fan.