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Mothership: II
Mothership - II CD Album Review

Mothership: II

Heavy Rock/Metal
4.0/5.0

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Ripple Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 05.11.2014

From the heavy rock galaxy, otherwise known as Texas, Mothership has landed again to blow up your speakers and turn your brain to mush with their second album, appropriately titled, II. It's another thundering psycho, stoner, proto-metal romp around the block.

Mothership II Photo

Mothership

There's many things to like about Mothership, not the least of which is that they eschew modern rock conventions. There's nothing hardcore or harsh about their music. Heavy, yes, with a thick, woofer busting, bottom end from that rhythm section. If it weren't for the subtle melody, equally thick rock groove, sometimes some speed, and those warped out guitar lines, this album would be only good for scaring a third world dictator out of his palace.

For thumping monster songs you have Priestess of the Moon, Holy Massacre or Serpents Throne, for example, all of which pummel with a desert rock thunder. Mothership could give everybody from QOTSA to Lonely Camel to early Sabbath a significant beat down. Alternatively, Mothership can rock with the best. Shanghai Surprise is one grooviest, heaviest, and toe-tapping numbers you'll find, also wrapped in a faster pace. So also is the bass and riff driven Hot Smoke and Heavy Blues. It's groove, blues, and flurry rolled into one song, and the guitar flies wildly. Then, maybe just to throw you off, the band offers Tamu Massif (an underwater volcano named after Texas A&U, and the French word for large mountain). It's marked by the deep rhythm section, but more relaxed and subtle, with lots of tasty guitar wizardry from Kelley Juett. Call it proto progressive heavy rock. Eye Of Sphinx also moves a bit differently. It's mostly laid back in the early quarter, but builds with churning riffs undergirded by restless drums to a crescendo.

It's easy to listen to any Mothership album and hear only 'heavy' when there's actually much more going on throughout. Yeah, sure, you can get bogged down at times in the ominous rhythm section and wall of riffage but, ultimately, Mothership will mix things up and keep you interested. II is a fine second effort from the band and easily recommended.


Mothership - Priestess Of The Moon


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In Short

Mothership's II is another thundering psycho, stoner, retro-proto-metal romp around the block.

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