Ufomammut – Fenice
Release Date: 6th May 2021
Label: Neurot Recordings
Bandcamp
Genre: Doom, Cosmic Doom.
FFO: Om, YOB, Weedeater, Conan.
Review By: Hillary Wisniewski
Ufomammut return with their ninth studio album, Fenice (meaning phoenix in Italian). The trio which consists of Poia (guitars and fxs), Urlo (Bass, vocals, fxs, and Synths), and new drummer, Levre (who also assists with fxs) are charting new territory on this work. According to Urlo, “I think we lost our spontaneity, album after album. We tried to make more complicated songs and albums, but I think at some point we just ended up repeating ourselves. With Fenice, we were ready to start from zero, we had no past anymore – so we just wanted to be reborn and rise from the ashes.” If the goal of the band was to create something that helped them to break out of what felt monotonous, it is safe to say this was accomplished on Fenice.
Listening to this album was quite an experience; not a predictable work in the least, and it is brimming with interesting transitions. There are plenty of crunchy, doomy riffs that fans of stoner rock and doom metal will enjoy; however, the complex nature of the work lends itself to pushing listeners into some sort of cosmic realm of sound in which you can explore the outer reaches. For me, the real gem of this work is the use of synthesizers and effects. Ufomammut are very deliberate in how they incorporate these elements, and they exceeded my expectations. Generally, they have an excellent mastery of noise and how it can complement more clean elements of sound. Vocals are heavily distorted and sparse; they are somewhat reminiscent of Al Jourgensen, and they fit quite well within the landscape of sound. On the track Duat, we hear a heartbeat, which transitions off into various dark and foreboding noise elements before becoming a warning siren of sorts. The band begins pummelling the listener with churning riffs with a side of psychedelic flair; this continues until the song generally crashes down like a wave. Don’t expect this format for the other songs, though, as each is unique. This is an album that musicians will appreciate. The only criticism is that a couple of tracks have a build-up in sound that falls a bit flat at the end. Overall, though, this is solid work.
Much respect to a band that takes a chance to do something different over 20 years into their career. It can be an uncomfortable and risky venture, and sometimes fans may not be receptive. But calculated risks can produce something extremely rewarding. If Fenice is the rising of Ufomammut out of the ashes, I look forward to seeing them soar as they continue to experiment with their sound.
(4 / 5)
