RHIZOME

Cologne based MOUTH are an energetic trio. So you can say the songs on their debut 'Rhizome' hold a significant noise factor. Which means there's definetely a heavy alternative/crossover influence to realize. On the other hand the tricky arrangements prove them as an art rock band first and foremost. Well - all in all you can expect a quite interesting effort. Not something for relaxed moments - more to wake you up in the morning and to strengthen your power in order to master the daily challenges.

MOUTH are made up of a classic rock instrumentation where all additionally care for the keyboard/synth duties. Christian Koller has a big share with his corresponding vocals and guitar work. Hence I can't imagine that Nick Mavridis was disappointed about this release - however he left the band just when the album came out. To express it in a positive way - he possibly wanted to reach for something new. To make a good start they use some heaviness and a catchy refrain for Cascade Inc - short, kicking, but certainly not that simple because provided with a staccato behaviour and changing time signatures - a suitable preview for the rest.

'Rhizome' is a collection of 12 compact tracks. Only The Balance is crossing the five minute mark. Here they offer an intriguing blend of mellow and crushing impressions. Koller's voice reaches for some falsetto heights. But what about the weird wah-wah synths?... oh, now I'm missing the guitar - however, a top-notch arrangement. What makes the songs appealing are the hooks, catchy melodies. This is sometimes backed by a killer groove like on Uniformed or Medusa. Play this loud, assimilate the energy and take care for the details ... 3.5 stars really!