Acid Mammoth – Under Acid Hoof – Album Review

A drug-addled mammoth sounds like a scary thing, lumbering across the landscape with no real control of its great big stomping feet, its weighty mass stumbling through the undergrowth as its tusks of doom prod and poke at your nether-regions. Fortunately, Acid Mammoth are in far greater control of their motor-functions and while they do settle into lengthy jams, there is an overall cohesion to Under Acid Hoof that 100% captivates its listener.

With a sound best described as proto-doom as opposed to doom metal itself, Athens’ Acid Mammoth are a relic-hunting band in awe of those 70’s acts (Pentagram, Budgie, Iron Claw, Jerusalem, etc) who took distortion to the next level.

With elephantine grooves nuzzling up against occult atmospherics – and an abundance of feedback-drenched riffs accompanied by solos that (thankfully) go on for millennia – Under Acid Hoof is an album that has found its niche and comfortably resides in it.

There’s not a great deal of variation (particularly in the vocal patterns) but this is not an album that looks to dazzle you with its progressive flourishes.

No sir!

Instead, Acid Mammoth harbour no further desire than to crush you underfoot, suffocated by the leaden weight of their doomy underbelly……an experience we positively recommend! 7/10

ACID MAMMOTH
Under Acid Hoof
Out January 24th via Heavy Psych Sounds