Review: Acid Mammoth ‘Caravan’

Acid Mammoth. I mean, what’s not to like about that name? There’s mighty implications that this will be trippy, heavy and primal. Sounds like something I’m going to be into. Caravan is the band’s third full length, which comes barely a year after their Under Acid Hoof record and is out this Friday, 5th March through Heavy Psych Sounds. The band also features Chris Babalis Sr/Jr, the father/son duo on guitars, who Josh recently interviewed for the In Search of Tone series.

Acid Mammoth 'Caravan'

Beserker has a nice slow grooving riff to open us up, rippling drumming flowing underneath a fuzzed up guitar tone and a dreamy yet gravelly vocal. It’s got a soulful swagger, and belies its title by being rather chilled out. Psychedelic Wasteland however has a much more tripped out vibe to it; the riffs seem deeper into classic Sabbath and the vocals are a little Jus Oborn at times, except without the intensity. The solos are killer throughout, but Psychedelic Wasteland is a particular beauty, wailing from deep in the void. Ivory Towers has a glorious fuzzy groove rumbling throughout, and might be the best song to use as an example of the band’s name.

a massive fuzz drenched riff swaggering in slow motion across an epic plain of solar desert. A proper stoner doom monolith…

But then the title track comes lumbering into view; a massive fuzz drenched riff swaggering in slow motion across an epic plain of solar desert. A proper stoner doom monolith, after eleven minutes of that glory we’re treated to Black Dust, a soulful close to a record that continually reaches out to touch the galaxies beyond. Like a star pricked sky on a hazy desert evening, Black Dust seeps into your subconscious, takes root and is another example of a perfect guitar solo for the style. It has just the right amount of virtuoso about it, without losing you from the hypnotic grinding riffs.

I mentioned Electric Wizard before, and I feel like Acid Mammoth are what could have happened to the Wizard if the weed had taken them to the cosmos, instead of a nihilistic occult basement full of monsters and old school porno. Caravan is a heavy trip man, and it may borrow most stoner doom clichés under the baking sun, but there’s nothing wrong with that if it’s done well. Acid Mammoth do it well, and I’d recommend this album heartily.

Label: Heavy Psych Sounds
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Scribed by: Sandy Williamson