ALBUM REVIEW: Mother's Cake keep psychedlia and prog to the fore on No Rhyme, No Reason

THE rather strangely named Mother’s Cake an Austrian trio formed in 2008, and here in Northern Ireland we got a glimpse of them in 2016.

They release their third studio album, “No Rhyme No Reason on 27th January on record label Membran.

The trio of Yves Krismer (vocals,guitar), Benedikt Trenkwalder (bass) and Jan Haussels (drums) have been described as a mixtu re of Psychedelic, Progressive, Indie and blues rock and hve been likened to bands such as Mars Volta, Jane’s Addiction and Led Zeppelin.

That last comparison may just be a step far but they have played in Belfast  (review here) and across the UK in support of Pentagram.

At the time of writing the bands first single “The Killer” is available to view on YouTube (see below) and is a medium to fast paced hard rock song with a fairly dark lyrical theme.

This theme continues throughout most of the album but “The Killer” is about as hard rock as it gets.

The majority of the album concentrates heavily on the Psychedelic, Prog. Rock Indie influence with lots of changes in style and tempo throughout. The also make pretty good use of layered vocals.

Songs such as album opener “No Rhyme or Reason”, “The Killer” and “ The Sun” would be more in the Blues/Hard Rock/Indie style in structure while songs such as “H8”, ”The Enemy” and “Streetja Man” are most definitely Psychedelic and Progressive in nature, in particular “Streetja Man” which weighs in at a touch under 10 minutes the last 6 or so being instrumental and sounding a bit like something early Pink Floyd may have come up with until about the 7.30 mark where there is bit of a jazz funk section before finishing in Psychedelic mode again.

The rest of the album varies in style with songs such as “Now or Never” having a bit of a stoner vibe and “Big Girls” having a bit groove to it whilst keeping the Prog nature and sound intact.

This would be an album that fans of this style of music should quite enjoy and it is very well produced.

Review by Andy Gillen

LIVE REVIEW: Pentagram produce mesmeric performance in Belfast

THEY were playing doom metal before it was called doom metal, but Pentagram are often overlooked by a printed media obsessed with the latest young band with a trendy haircut and "core" somewhere in their stated description.

It was Pentagram's first ever Northern Ireland show, and aside from one rather tasteless joke about bombs it was a triumph, a soaring celebration of metal, greeted rapturously.

Before Pentagram could dominate openers Mother's Cake produced a set filled with psychedelic groove, moulded around stoner elements and a number of expressive progressive moments.

The Austrian trio have composure and talent in bucket loads. Yves fluid playing and lush, clean vocals are a joy, but what sets this apart from many is the clear separation in the sound. Whether rocking out or extensive solos, you know what each part of the track is meant to do for the audience.

There is more than a hint of early 70s rock in the sound, but it is satisfyingly enjoyable. Benedikt's bass is clear and resonates, with flashes of funk runs adding to the multi-dimensional sound, while Jans' drums are spot on. Nodding of heads was obligatory, despite some confusing linguistic and geographical confusing references.

But the crowd were in Belfast's Limelight on 11th October were present to worship at the Pentagram altar. More than half of the 200-odd were not even born when the band first emerged from Virginia. That did not diminish their enjoyment.

The tolling bell may be seen as some as a cliché but it set the mood. This was rolling back the years in style, an invocation, and proof that with age comes wisdom in musical terms.

Bobby Liebling may be the only original member, but that matters not a whit in this tour de force showcasing of doomy, psyched out metal.

Liebling is mesmeric, hypnotic and entrancing, enjoying himself as much as the crowd. A slight wobble vocally on the opener 'Death Row' is quickly sorted when the monitor sound is addressed and from there Pentagram do not put a foot wrong.

Victor's guitar work is exemplary and flows as riffs pile upon riffs and solos ramp up the intensity and enjoying playful fights with Bobby.

What is striking is that the band understand pacing of the set and pacing songs in such a way that it engages everyone present. It may be doom, but it is filled with such melody that all the tracks on display draw headbanging and dancing from a few as if it still was the mid-70s

And, it is obvious that the acolytes of Pentagram are as content with new tracks such as 'Curious Volumes' as the older material.

Liebling is, and it cannot be said often enough, is entrancing. Vocal dexterities apart he is always maintaining a presence, whether cajoling the crowd, pointing out individuals or eerie expressions in his eyes.

As the set ended in a wail of distortion, tortured ears were not the concern of the audience. It may have come late in the year, but this is a real contender for one of the Top Five shows of the year.

It may have taken Pentagram 45 years to get to Belfast, but it was worth the wait. They turned the Limelight into the 'Devil's Playground' and it was not so much a Satanic Mass as a metallic meeting of minds.

Review by Jonny
Pictures by Darren McVeigh
Reproduction by written permission only

NEWS: Mother’s Cake set to play with Pentagram in Belfast and release new video

MOTHER’S Cake will play with Pentagram and The Atomic Bitchwax on October 11^th in Belfast and have just released a new video to make sure you all are down early to the Limelight2 on what is set to be a cool evening of entertainment.

You can watch the video for the track ‘Ecstasy’ below, and in the meantime here’s the blurb about the band…

The latest Mother’s Cake album ‘Love The Filth’ reverberates with a filthy and gritty sound.  The trio not only breaks the mould musically, morphing their style towards more psychedelic and noisy regions but is also takes up a distinct anti establishment standpoint heard mainly through their lyrics.

Mother’s Cake are mixing Stoner, Psychedelic and Progressive Rock together, conjuring their very own sound without losing the feeling of their highly praised début “Creation’s Finest“.
‘Love The Filth’ is bursting with energy.
The songs are suspended on the expressional voice and guitar riffs of Yves Krismer. Complemented by the groovy rhythm section consisting of Jan Haußels (drums) and Benedikt Trenkwalder (bass guitar).