By Aniruddh ‘Andrew’ Bansal
Based out of Kolkata, India, thrash metal outfit Mortar is a brand new entity, having started out only in late 2011. Their lineup became stable only a couple of months ago, and now they’re ready to release their aptly titled debut EP ‘Ground Zero’ on February 9th via India’s own Incanned Productions. With a majority of Indian metal bands coming from Bangalore, Mumbai and a few other cities, for a change it’s great to see a band come through from the city of Kolkata, proving that metal is gradually spreading to different parts of the country. So when I got the press release about this band’s debut EP, I couldn’t help but take notice. It was easy enough to give a few proper listens to this 17-minute EP, and I’m certainly not regretting doing so.
The four-track EP begins with ‘Napalm Messiah’, a straight-up old-school thrash metal with music in the vein of Exodus and vocals bearing a resemblance to the early days of Teutonic thrash. The production is raw and has a very in-your-face, ‘live’ feel, as if you were listening to the band playing on stage. I think it’s a deliberate attempt to keep the early 80s feel by not going for a polished sound. The riffs are solid and the guitar tone is crisp, while the solos lend the tune a great deal of speed and energy. The song accomplishes everything you would expect from a typical thrash song.
‘The Human Plague’, while retaining all of the above elements, is more of a well-rounded tune in comparison. It takes its time to build up, and has some traditional metal influences thrown in it too, with a couple of excellently arranged twin guitar harmonies. Once again, the solos are very well-crafted, and the music overall creates a dark vibe which perhaps fits the song’s title.
The next track ‘Ground Reality’ takes the listener back to the relentless tempo of the opening tune, and this one can be described quite simply as four minutes of non-stop thrash. This is the fiercest track on this EP and would surely make for a great live song. The EP comes to an end with a cover of Judas Priest’s “Hell Bent For Leather”, which I must admit is a bit of a strange choice considering the style of music demonstrated in the three original tracks. Nonetheless, their rendition of the Priest classic is interesting. Halford’s vocals given a bestial treatment, which may or may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
As for the band’s logo and this album cover, it’s reminiscent of Sodom in some ways, which is not a bad thing. Overall, I like what this band is offering through this EP, and they definitely have the promise and the potential to become a force to be reckoned with in the near future, and indeed in the long term future. I know there’s nothing exactly new in the music, but the elder legends of thrash are not going to be around forever and one can’t keep listening to the same old albums again and again. So, it’s only a positive sign to see the thrash flag being carried on by bands such as Mortar.
All in all, an impressive debut release recommended for fans of old-school thrash.
Rating: 8/10
Record Label: Incanned Productions
Release Date: February 9th 2013
Track Listing:
1. Napalm Messiah
2. The Human Plague
3. Ground Reality
4. Hell Bent For Leather (Judas Priest Cover)
Album Order Link:
incannedproductions.wix.com/incanned#!mortar/ctrg
Band Links:
facebook.com/mortarindia
Mortar YouTube channel