"The world is a wonderfully weird place..." Tom Robbins, Still life with woodpecker
The above phrase might very well be the epicentre of the Mammock universe. We are living in weird times, in a weird place, and our ways keep getting even weirder. Mammock get inspired by the world around them to weave a web of several songs for their debut LP entitled "Itch", reflecting on their thoughts and feelings over the past few years.
The approach followed was holistic, aiming to craft a raw organic sound of their own and deliver a total that is greater than just the sum of its parts. The recording sessions turned out to be smooth and entertaining, leaving everyone absolutely satisfied with the end result. "Itch" has been a wild ride, therefore Mammock hope that everyone enjoys this album as much as they have!
"There's no fix for this itch..."
Mammock, 2019
released January 1, 2020
Cast in order of appearance:
Giannis A.: Guitar
Klearhos G.: Bass
Vangelis D.: Drums
Andreas K.: Vocals
Saxophone on “Shark Attack” performed by Viktor Karamanis.
Produced by Diogenes Kyratzoglou
Executive production by Mammock
Recorded & engineered by Diogenes Kyratzoglou February-March 2019 at Piper Studio, Piraeus, Greece.
Mixed by Diogenes Kyratzoglou April-July 2019 at Piper Studio, Piraeus, Greece.
Mastered by George Christoforidis at Ignite Music, Athens, Greece.
Cover artwork by Perseas Rizos
(
perseasrizos.bandcamp.com)
Layout by Ultragrim Dis-sign
(
ultragrim.tumblr.com)
All music & lyrics by Mammock
* * *
REVIEWS & OPINIONS:
(GR) "Οι Mammock φαίνονται καλοκουρδισμενοι και οι συνθέσεις τους πολύ καλά δουλεμένες. Ένας δίσκος που παρά τις ιδιαιτερότητες του ακούγεται με το ίδιο ενδιαφέρον από την αρχή μέχρι το τέλος, χωρίς να κουράζει σε κανένα σημείο ακόμα και το εννιάλεπτο This Letter που για μένα παίζει να είναι το καλύτερο του δίσκου , σήμερα τουλάχιστον, αύριο δεν ξέρω μπορεί να θεωρώ κάποιο άλλο καλύτερο."
xaristikivoli.blogspot.com, January 2021
(GR) "Ένας δίσκος που σπαμάρω από τις πρώτες μέρες της Επιτροπής. Και αυτό γιατί μου αρέσουν οι Faith No More, οι Clutch, οι Black Midi, οι Melvins, οι Unsane, οι Jesus Lizard, οι Oxbow, οι Arctic Monkeys. Φαντάσου να μπορείς να βρεις όλες αυτές τις μπάντες, μαζεμένες σε ένα άλμπουμ και να μη θυμίζει τίποτα από αυτές κατ’ ανάγκη. Δεν θα άλλαζα ούτε νότα σε κανένα από τα τραγούδια που περιλαμβάνονται στο Itch, ακόμα και η τραχιά παραγωγή είναι φουλ ταιριαστή, αφού νομίζεις ότι όλο το άλμπουμ είναι one take με την ενέργεια που βγάζει. Τελευταία φορά που γράφω αναλυτικά για αυτόν τον δίσκο, έχω κάνει το χρέος μου στην ελληνική μουσική σκηνή και με το παραπάνω για φέτος, νομίζω."
avopolis.gr, December 2020
(GR) "Noise rock, post-hardcore, math rock και αρκετά άλλα είδη μπλέκονται περίτεχνα σε μια πραγματικά σπουδαία κυκλοφορία που σε έναν δίκαιο κόσμο θα είχε ήδη αποκτήσει όλη την αναγνώριση αυτού του κόσμου. Το ντεμπούτο του αθηναϊκού συγκροτήματος είναι ένας εκπληκτικός δίσκος από αυτούς που δεν έχουμε συνηθίσει να φτάνουν συχνά στα αυτιά μας. Υπέροχο rhythm- section, κιθάρες χαμαιλέοντες, ένα κάρο πειραματισμοί και μπόλικο πάθος και μεράκι για αυτό που κάνουν είναι τα στοιχεία που καθιστούν τους Mammock την πιο ευχάριστη έκπληξη του 2020, και το "Itch" μια από τις κορυφαίες κυκλοφορίες της χρονιάς."
Rocking.gr, December 2020 - Punk/Hardcore/Grind Review of 2020
(GR) "Χαοτικός θόρυβος, made in Greece. Το "Itch" είναι ένα άλμπουμ-δήλωση. Κοιτά κατάματα συμβιβασμούς, αρνητικότητα και κάθε τι οπισθοδρομικό, και ουρλιάζει σα να μην υπάρχει αύριο, χωρίς να ανοιγοκλείσει βλέφαρο. Ο ήχος του περιέχει περίπου τα πάντα, από post-hardcore και ιδιότροπες δομές μέχρι math και post-οτιδήποτε. Η μεγάλη επιτυχία του βρίσκεται στο ότι δεν ακούγεται σαν απλό κολλάζ διαφορετικών στυλ. Είναι πραγματικό και ειλικρινές. Στέκεται περήφανα ως κάτι ανεξάρτητο. Ακούγεται ιδανικά γυρίζοντας στις γειτονίες της Αθήνας."
Rocking.gr, December 2020 - Post Rock Review of 2020
"I can safely say this is my favorite greek noise rock band of the year, as this is the only Greek noise rock band I think I’ve heard in…well over a year?"
shinygreymonotone.blogspot.com, December 2020
(GR) "Αν γουστάρεις τους System of A Down κι αν πίνεις κρασί στο όνομα των Tool, τότε είναι πολύ χρήσιμο για σένα να μάθεις πως οι Mammock βγάλανε φέτος ένα δίσκο που θα έκανε και τις δύο υπερμπαντάρες περήφανες. Το καλύτερο κρυμμένο μυστικό της ελληνικής σκηνής του σκληρού ήχου, πρέπει να βγει στον αφρό άμεσα!"
in2life.gr, December 2020
"Mammock are a Greek band that is bordered to the north by the Don Caballero , on the south by the Black Midi , east with NoMeansNo and west by the Melvins . Let's break down these boundaries with a quick geography lesson. From the former they inherited the propensity for a pyrotechnic math rock, from the latter they eradicated the evolutionary essence in the experimental field, from the thirds the being intelligently nonconformist and, finally, from the last the compositional madness that has always distinguished them."
rewriters.it, August 2020
(GR) "Αξίζει να εστιάσουμε εκεί που οι Mammock ξεχωρίζουν - στην συνθετική ωριμότητα που δεν έχει ως αυτοσκοπό την νεανική εκρηκτικότητα, στα riffs (κιθαριστικά αλλά και μπασιστικά, όπως ακούμε στο Theme For Pets και στο Dirty Shoes) και, για να μην μακρυγορούμε, σε ένα συγκεκριμένο track, όχι γιατί συνοψίζει καλύτερα τον χαρακτήρα τους (αναζητήστε αλλού για αυτό), αλλά διότι δείχνει ακόμη πιο χαρακτηριστικά το εύρος των επιρροών της μπάντας. Το εν λόγω κομμάτι κλείνει το δίσκο και λέγεται This Letter, μία δεκάλεπτη τετραλογία όπου συνυπάρχουν σε αλληλουχία… δύο (και παραπάνω, αν είστε πιο αναλυτικοί) διαφορετικές μπάντες: εκεί γίνονται μελωδικοί και ατμοσφαιρικοί σαν να αναμιγνύουν (για να αναφερθούμε στην εγχώρια σκηνή) Closer και Bokomolech, με ένα ενδιάμεσο τμήμα που ενσωματώνει τους διακριτά δύσμορφους τρόπους των avantgarde blacksters Ved Buens Ende, ή καλύτερα του rock alter ego τους των Virus."
Soundgaze.gr, July 2020
"Mammock have revealed themselves to the world as masters of crime, subtracting the brightest ideas from a thousand different realities with noble ends and then, thanks to a very personal spirit, gave them a new and unforgettable shape. Besides, what is genius, if not this?"
www.aristocraziawebzine.com, April 2020
"This outfit lovingly embraces a whirlwind of timbres, blending balmy gales of infectious hooks sideswiped by mathy clods of misshapen rambunctiousness to coalesce into an auditory experience that channels the fragrant stillness of a twilit evening in the dead of summer. This is Mammock and their debut album, Itch. (...) In the album’s thirty-minute runtime, Mammock splays themselves aslant. Palatable riffs are abundant and often oscillate between grooving hooks and spams of feedback or off-kilter lunacy. Junctures of giddy—and sometimes cheeky—bliss burgeon amidst the warm atmospheric resonance radiating from their strings. Further yet, they achieve a smattering of ephemeral highs by way of slow-burn melodies, some of which stir elation and some of which dredge a soulful longing."
fromcornersunknown.com, Arpil 2020
"This album sounds like it was written when the band members decided to watch The Jesus Lizard on acid. It also has finely-placed jazzy breaks that remind me of NoMeansNo and some sections that call back to Unwound and Slint. I’d recommend it to fans of 90s post-hardcore."
slumberingent.com, April 2020
"Greece noise rock quartet Mammock deliver one hell of a debut album with Itch. Containing elements of modern noise rock with 90s math and punk, Mammock has delivered one of most unique releases to hit our rotation so far in 2020. (...) Albums like Itch are far and few in between as its a very difficult to pull off this style of rock. (...) Itch is an album that is directed toward a targeted audience who frequent the chaotic nature of math and punk. For now it’s a Name Your Price on Bandcamp, so it’s a win-win if your in the exploring mood for something offbeat and heavy."
Rotation11.com - Album of the month March 2020
“Special mention deserves to be given to two more things: i) The musicians’ performance: The expressiveness of vocals and the ease by which they adjust to the requirements of each moment, the total freedom by which the (marginally jazz) rhythm section maneuvers in the context of a world that it builds for the composition and not that the composition builds for the rhythm section, and the ingenious guitar approach (prepare to listen to inconceivably good riffs) make for the definition of “top-notch”. ii) The production, or else the field in which any wrong move could alter the art form in the end result. (...) Do not deal with what was written so far as an attempt of review. Consider it as delirium.”
Metal Hammer Greece (issue #423), March 2020
"Mammock is a four piece band from Athens, Greece who formed in 2019, from the looks of things. Mammock play a killer style of music that incorporates elements of post hardcore, post punk, art rock, and noise rock within their sound. Musically, Mammock can be loosely compared to bands such as Unsane, Jesus Lizard, Ken Mode, Coil Guns, and other like-minded bands. Itch is the band's debut LP, which was released on January 1st, 2020. On Itch, Mammock offer up six tracks of killer post hardcore, post punk, art rock, and noise rock. Overall, Itch makes for an awesome listen and definitely should not be missed. Highly recommended! Enjoy!"
Dead Air At The Pulpit (
www.deadpulpit.com), March 2020
(FR) "Au contraire, Itch aligne six compositions terriblement accrocheuses avec toujours le souci de séduire mais pas à n’importe quel prix, le plaisir de jouer, de balancer des parpaings incendiaires qui font monter en pression, d’écrire de brillants morceaux directs mais aussi ambitieux avec les deux derniers, plus conséquents et élaborés, le splendide et brûlant Inconstant State, Hot Summer et les quasi dix minutes de This Letter, grand moment de virtuosité en toute simplicité ou comment imbriquer différentes parties pour en faire un tout cohérent et sacrément enlevé. Itch, un disque qui fait plus que vous démanger. Une vraie addiction et un album remarquable."
www.perteetfracas.org, March 20202 (French)
"Μammock is a four-piece wrecking crew that reminds me of all the best parts of Child Bite, amplified by 100. This record cooks! I’m not very familiar with the rock scene in Greece beyond 1000mods, but these dudes mean business.
This record sounds huge. Everything is loud and in your face. The guitars are jangly and sound like telecasters plugged directly into amps on the verge of combustion. The bass is gritty and raw and right in your face, a la Jesus Lizard. The drums pack a whallop with plenty of attack and body, driving the tunes with a sense of command. The vocals are raw as well, leaning at times on a Jello Biafra going off the rails over top a NoMeansNo vibe that immediately had me recalling Child Bite on steroids, or a wilder foreign cousin of Hot Snakes. His accent is present and gives the tunes an identity. I’m digging it."
supercorrupter.wordpress.com, February 2020
(GR) "Ο δίσκος θα κάνει αίσθηση. Προσωπικά τον βρίσκω εξαιρετικό. Δεν έχει πουθενά κοιλιά. Δεν έχει τίποτα περιττό. Αν τον χώριζα στα δύο θα έβρισκα το νεανικό και παλιομοδίτικο αλήτικο στυλ που θέλουν να περάσουν στα πέντε πρώτα κομμάτια και στη δεύτερη μεριά, το τελευταίο κομμάτι θα μου έδινε όλη την ωριμότητα και πιθανά το επόμενο βήμα του συγκροτήματος. Κάνουν αίσθηση με τη μανία τους στην αρχή και μας δείχνουν το μέλλον τους με το σκοτάδι και το παράξενο μουσικό τους παραμύθι στο τέλος. Θα κοσμήσει πολλές λίστες στο τέλος του χρόνου. Οφείλει να ακουστεί παραέξω. Θα το κάνει χωρίς πολύ σπρώξιμο."
Rocking.gr, February 2020 (Greek)
"This is what the Arctic Monkeys’ Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not would have sounded like if the guy on the cover was holding a crack pipe instead of a cigarette (...) Overall this is a really dizzying display of potential that I think will just be the start of this band’s journey. If it were to come out from any larger band like it right now I would still be impressed by the material, but given that this is their debut I’m more so just left with a sense of excitement. (...) I’d love to see them become that “noisy Art Punk version of Tool” that I called them earlier, even though I wouldn’t be surprised if eventually they become too unique to be compared to other bands. Time will tell whether or not Mammock will blossom into everything I genuinely think they will, but they’ve certainly got the talent to do so. Itch is an electrifying debut release from Mammock that’ll definitely wind up being just the beginning of an excellent discography to come."
wavelengthreviews.wixsite.com, February 2020
"Mammock has no restriction and indulges in noisy and unrestrained playing on every part of this release, which will engulf you with huge and relentless waves, rarely allowing you to take in the air."
Balkanrock.com, February 2020
"Barely having the runtime to be a full-length instead of an EP, Mammock's Itch is a six song piece that feels less like an Itch and more like something to scratch that noisy alternative bassy rock itch that we've been having. It's music with a lot of bravado and a punch to pack, never content to thread the waters of a single sound. At times closer to spastic math rock, at times bassy noise rock, at times ballsy stonerish heavy rock, at times slightly grundgy alternative rock, at times going batshit crazy, at times showing restraint.
One thing is consistent throughout Itch, it's having fun going in all directions, it's not shying away from having some swagger in the riffs, but also not from making those riffs as angular as possible. It's nothing new at this point, but there's also a saxophone in there somewhere. The performances are great all throughout, I already mentioned the bass quite a lot of times, but seriously: bass. The quartet does a really great job of letting everyone shine, and they build what The Mars Volta's, Clutch's and Oxbow's lovechild would sound like."
Metalstorm.net, January 2020
"so here we are, the 9th day into 2020 and i'm calling it. this is the album of the year. any and all releases planned for the year can be cancelled or put on hold until 2021. it's not even up for for debate. whatever you were hoping for this year will be crap compared to mammock. this is like the best that the jesus lizard and shellac have ever offered up with occasional influences from "the battle of los angeles" era ratm and the mars volta (back when they were good) showing their ugly teeth. hell even tom waits, dick dale, and john zorn make an appearance. athena knows whats up in her city. pray to her now and thank her."
www.deadpulpit.com, January 2020