Mangoseed – Basquiat

By Andrew Bansal

The element of funk is no stranger to the world of rock and metal, as bands like Rage Against The Machine and Red Hot Chili Peppers showed as they rose to prominence in the 90s. But that blend rapidly died down in the next two decades, and there really aren’t any bands attempting to pursue it anymore. Well, London-based quartet Mangoseed beg to differ.

Formed in 2008, the band has played shows in and around London to develop a reputation for their high-octane live shows, and they now attempt to capture their on-stage energy on their first full-length album ‘Basquiat’, slated for an independent release on May 22nd 2014. Each member of the group is from a different country, and this blend resulting from a Trinidadian, a Jamaican, an Irish and an Australian coming together almost automatically gives the band’s music an eclectic feel, which is what we at Metal Assault appreciate more than anything else, when bands are audacious enough to push the creative envelopes and defy genre boundaries.

The 15-track, 46-minute album begins with ‘Lioness’, a track that lays the foundation with great vocal delivery and an immaculately steely guitar tone that fits perfectly into this style of music. The diversity of the band’s music is quite evident on this album as the slower, more soothing ‘Careful’ and ‘Brix – Tone’ come next, followed by ‘I Shoot My Friends’ which is a delightful little guitar-dominant piece. ‘Bali Men Interrupted’ and ‘Interruption’ are also guitar-driven compositions that catch the ear pleasantly, while ‘Standing On High’ offers more variations in rhythm and is almost progressive in that sense. Some tracks have a bit of an electronic touch to them as well, but most of it centers around funk/reggae style vocals and clean electric guitar riffs and solos, which is what makes it appealing to rock music listeners, specially fans of the aforementioned 90s bands, and even those who appreciate contemporary groups like Twelve Foot Ninja.

The album totally achieves what it sets out to, and if anything, the rhythm section could have been louder and more prominent in the mix, which is the only flaw I can point out here. Otherwise, Mangoseed’s ‘Basquiat’ is a refreshingly pristine treat to the ears, and besides possessing an awesome band name, Mangoseed are certainly bringing back a style that’s largely defunct in this day and age.

Rating: 9/10

Release Date: May 22nd 2014

Track Listing:
01. Lioness
02. Careful
03. Brix – Tone
04. I Shoot My Friends
05. Devil In The Road
06. The Soul Bird
07. She Is All
08. Bali Men Interrupted
09. Standing On High
10. This Life
11. Rise and Shine
12. Interruption
13. Thief Head
14. Army Of One
15. Bali men

Links:
Mangoseed.co.uk
facebook.com/MangoseedBand 
twitter.com/Mangoseed 

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