LOCUST ON THE SADDLE – The Alpha Mantis

More Hungarian music, which is certainly quite rare in the other parts of the globe is presented by Locust On The Saddle. Nothing can be said about the band and history, as any available information is exclusively presented in Hungarian language. So let’s let the music do the talking.

The five guys play a mixture of Alternative Rock paired with real Heavy Metal of the Black Sabbath kind and occasional Stoner and Doom and quite a lot of Hardcore influences. As strange as that may sound, the result is definitely heavy, and when one thinks about it, the styles mentioned do not contradict each other, and not all are audible in every song. It is more a bit of one of those each time, as “Casual Tense” is a heavy Alternative song, and Alternative with a big helping of Hardcore is “Field Of Ratio”. The band pairs Hardcore with a bit of Seventies’ guitar harmonies and chorus in “Breaking The Unwritten”, while “Get Back” is Stoner dry.

Of course, the album needs a few spins to get used to, especially during the first few songs. Here the differences between the compositions are slightly irritating at first, but fortunately a good singer and memorable melodies provide the thread to find your way through this musical maze. In the second half of The Alpha Mantis, traditional Heavy Metal sounds mix with Stoner riffs and make the later seem more seamless. Almost like Kyuss and Black Sabbath jamming with a harsher singer. Although occasionally, those songs have a tendency to be a bit too long hitting the six minute mark, but that is where the Doom influences show as some heavy riffs are thrown at the listener over and over again, as in “Never Enough”. This is very old school and traditional, and the Hardcore influences keep far in the back. It is nothing that one has not heard before, but it is good nonetheless.

Overall an enjoyable release, although Locust On The Saddle does not do more than combine some, more or less, usual pieces to create a new composition. With a raw production that leaves a bit to wish for in the drum department, a certain garage feeling is undeniable, and regardless if that was intended or not, it sits wells with the overall sound of the band.

Thankfully the band sings in English and has therefore a certain potential even outside Hungary.