Manticora – Mycelium

Manticora
Mycelium
Label: Mighty Music
Out: January 26^th, 2024
Playing time: 46:52

Author: Erich Robbers (Rockcastle Franken)

It’s been over three years since the Danes Manticora released the second part of their last concept album “To Live To Kill To Live”. After this ambitious work, the band is taking a step back, but with the new album “Mycelium” they are once again unleashing a concept story on the listener. This time, however, only in the form of this single album with a length of just below 50 minutes. But that’s enough, because singer Lars F. Larsen, guitarist Kristian Larsen, guitarist Stefan Johansson and bassist Kasper Gram pack a lot of exciting sound into ten songs on the new album.

The ingenious mix of Prog-Power Metal, Thrash, short Black- and Death Metal borrowings, as well as modern parts, works excellently once again and the somewhat reduced Symphonic Bombast part proves to be not wrong. What I don’t know at the moment is who played the drums, because Lawrence Dinamarca left the band after three years. The intro “Winter Solstice” gets off to a good start in terms of drama and leads furiously to “Necropolitans”, a fast Prog Thrash departure that bangs away powerfully. Singer Lars with his rather high howling voice is still a matter of taste, occasionally resembling a cleaner Hansi Kürsch, but has also been one of Manticora’s figureheads for years.

Dark tracks such as “Demonsday” or the fat brute “Golem Sapiens” form the backbone of “Mycelium”. The latter song features ingeniously torn staccato riffs. At the beginning of “Angel Of The Spring”, the Melodic Power Metal part is very high, a short female voice is allowed, but then it becomes more thrashy and tricky again. The horror-dark, sometimes futuristic parts that adorn some tracks are typical of the Danes’ songwriting. A good example of this is the title track, which also features short growls. In between or at the end, there are also some disturbing spokesman sentences that emphasise the concept of the album.

The two closing tracks “Mementopolis” and “Dia De Los Muertos” go one better and shimmer through the music world with riff power, spherical programming and pressure on the boiler. Yes, “Mycelium” is rougher and more aggressive than the two previous albums, but no less interesting for that. Produced by the band themselves and mastered by Jacob Hansen with a focus on quality, the sound leaves nothing to be desired. With “Mycelium”, Manticora are once again one of the most exciting, competent, and best bands in the field of Prog (Power)-Thrash Metal bands, who also add many other ingredients to the mix. A must-have for fans. 

Manticora – Necropolitans: https://youtu.be/I-FDA5XNSeg?si=ujMKMAUYKPY4NsSl

Lineup:

Kristian Larsen – guitars
Lars F. Larsen – vocals
Stefan Johansson – guitars
Kasper Gram – bass

Track list:

• Winter Solstice
• Necropolitans
• Demonday
• Angel Of The Spring
• Golem Sapiens
• Mycelium
• Beast Of The Fall
• Equinox
• Mementopolis
• Día De Los Muertos