Album review: MANTRIC MOMENTUM – Trial by Fire

Frontiers [Release date: 11.11.22]

It’s a little off putting that Mantric Momentum’s Melodic Metal debut album, Trial By Fire, shares its title with numerous releases of the same name. From Henry Jackman’s movie music to Journey’s tenth studio album to Rammstein’s 2021 career compilation. You wonder if that worrying lack of originality will follow through into the album itself.

The fact that the opening track is titled ‘Tabula Rasa’ just exacerbates the problem. And then we discover that this opener, a majestic instrumental, has been orchestrated by maestro, Magnus Karlsson.

All change. We know that Karlsson uses symphonic metal music to create dramatic effects, skillfully connecting martial crescendos to moody, atmospheric choral passages. This ‘Tabula Rasa’ is a yet new example of the man’s craft.

And so the album begins on a high.

We didn’t expect the temperature of the music to change so abruptly with the second track, ‘Course Of Fate’. The band, a duo – vocalist Terje (Pyramaze) Haroy and songwriter/ instrumentalist, Christer (Divided Multitude) Haroy’s headbanging heavy metal thunder on this track has all the intensity of power metal, it’s a different direction, but welcome nonetheless.

‘In The Heart Of The Broken’s driving, purposeful melodic metal is cut from the same chainmail. It could be Bonnet singing, such is Terje Haroy’s vocal intensity – and as it does on so many tracks, Christer Haroy’s solo axework creates extraordinarily colourful musical textures.

A strong sense of sameness creeps in after that. You can’t escape the feeling that it’s all a bit forced, but then the powerful ballad, ‘Fighter’ steadies the ship.

Terje Haroy reins back on the vocal intensity a little, and a welcome bit of social commentary brightens up the over familiarity of the “she’s a fighter” narrative.

Christer Haroy’s guitarwork steps up to handle the heavy lifting, motivated and melodic, pushing the track up a gear or two, and the song climaxes in a pounding, percussive finish. Would have made a magnificently apposite closing track. ***

Review by Brian McGowan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

Next session: Sunday 19 January

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 24 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 26 November 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)