Mantric - 'False Negative' Album Review

Tracklist:

1. Polyanna

2. Itching Soul

3. Queen Fatigue

4. Norwegian Dastard

5. Blame The Beggar

6. Dawn

7. The Towering Mountain

8. Every Day Is Independence Day

9. Darling Demon

10. Starmonger

Okay straight off the bat this album confuses me, I don’t know how to process it, hell I don’t even know if I like it.

It’s dancey, it’s poppy, it’s rocky. I’m getting Biffy Clyro, Bastille, even moments of Linkin Park. 'False Negative' feels disjointed, angular, non cohesive. Then a chorus will kick in and all of a sudden it’s anthemic, and I’m only on the second track.

I’m really out of my comfort zone with Mantric, it’s not sitting right with me and I can’t for the life of me figure out why. That is why 'False Negative' stands up to multiple listens. I’ve sat with this in my review pile for a few weeks and every time I’ve tried to review it I give up a few lines in. Even the album cover confuses me, its image much better suited to Black Sabbath.

I’m up to the fourth track “Norwegian Dastard” and it’s still as odd as ever. Do the band need to find a style or does the lack of direction work in their favour? It certainly makes for interesting listening.

Umpteen listens in and I think I like it. Probably. No. I do, I like it!

It’s been a long time since a band has unsettled me so much, it therefore demanding of my attention. “The Towering Mountain” has definitely caught my let’s face it distracted attention (7 weeks in to lockdown who has any attention span?) It’s a shout fest, wall of guitar type of thing.

'False Negative' delivers right to the finish, no two songs bear any resemblance to each other. I’m going to give 'False Negative' by Mantric 4 out of 5 stars, I feel a bit mean doing that as it is a unique album. I look forward to see how the band are going to progress!