Ghost of the Russian Empire “The Mammoth”Posted on May 27th, 2008 by Mannerist Zine | |
Ghost of the Russian Empire
The Mammoth
Thirty Ghosts Records
Ghost of the Russian Empire is a quartet based in Austin Texas, and their album is the first Apocalyptic Surf Rock album ever. In other words, their debut full-length album The Mammoth sounds experimental, complex, haunting, doom inducing, and yet somehow remains hopeful and energetic. More ambient than rocking, most of the tracks evoke something natural, like the sea, and paint a primordial vastness with reverberated, barely audible and at times completely unintelligible lyrics. From beginning to end, the infamous grey sky over St. Petersburg Square slowly drifts its way across the earth toward the end of the world. It envelops everything in its wake, looms amid cities, along beaches, and over rainforests. A follow up to last year’s With Fiercest Demolition EP, The Mammoth sometimes becomes so ambient you forget it’s on, then it haunts you with drone-ish drumming and again gets your attention. Each track holds natural layers of darkness as exemplified in “The White Sea”, my favorite track. “We rose from the dirt/got off of all fours” and now we’re “just chasing at nothing” lead singer Brandon Whitten explains. Only a hollow echo remains from the animal life that was once abundant on earth – like the mammoth. – Jonathan Mendick, Mannerist Zine.
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