Monster Magnet
Last Patrol
Napalm Records
2013
Monster Magnet have released their 10th full length album and its name is “Last Patrol”. This one is kinda dark and a bit more abstract & psychedelic for the band’s standards. Apart from all these though, there’s always the pure hard rock and stoner vibe that Monster Magnet are known for.
The haunting “I Live Behind the Clouds” kicks off the record and it serves as a perfect introduction, with vocalist Dave Wyndorf almost whispering the melancholic lyrics accompanied by a monotonous guitar riff. 4 minutes later the ground has been set for the longest track of the album (9:24) to begin, sharing the same name with the album; “Last Patrol” is without a doubt the record’s strongest point. Dark and heavy space rock with amazing melodies performed with great energy; it’s like Hawkwind had a baby with Kyuss. The other track that stands out for me is “Mindless Ones” because it combines the fun-loving side of Monster Magnet with their psychedelic aspirations perfectly.
That’s not to say that “Last Patrol” doesn’t have its low points. “Paradise” for example might be a tight and elaborate musical composition, but it does tend to get a little repetitive and/or boring at times. To be perfectly honest, the album is a bit uneven, what I mean is that right after “Mindless Ones” the band seems to gradually run out of steam. The energy and the good intentions are obviously still there, but there’s something else missing. What’s missing you ask? That little undefined thing that takes a good track to great levels; some people call it inspiration, while others call it guts. Whatever it is, it’s not in the last five tracks (if you count “Strobe Light Beatdown” and “One Dead Moon”, the two bonus tracks) in “Last Patrol”.
All in all “Last Patrol” finds the veterans Monster Magnet in pretty good shape, offering some tight rocking jams that will definitely keep their followers happy and at the same time might just turn a few younger listeners to the Monster Magnet sound.
The haunting “I Live Behind the Clouds” kicks off the record and it serves as a perfect introduction, with vocalist Dave Wyndorf almost whispering the melancholic lyrics accompanied by a monotonous guitar riff. 4 minutes later the ground has been set for the longest track of the album (9:24) to begin, sharing the same name with the album; “Last Patrol” is without a doubt the record’s strongest point. Dark and heavy space rock with amazing melodies performed with great energy; it’s like Hawkwind had a baby with Kyuss. The other track that stands out for me is “Mindless Ones” because it combines the fun-loving side of Monster Magnet with their psychedelic aspirations perfectly.
That’s not to say that “Last Patrol” doesn’t have its low points. “Paradise” for example might be a tight and elaborate musical composition, but it does tend to get a little repetitive and/or boring at times. To be perfectly honest, the album is a bit uneven, what I mean is that right after “Mindless Ones” the band seems to gradually run out of steam. The energy and the good intentions are obviously still there, but there’s something else missing. What’s missing you ask? That little undefined thing that takes a good track to great levels; some people call it inspiration, while others call it guts. Whatever it is, it’s not in the last five tracks (if you count “Strobe Light Beatdown” and “One Dead Moon”, the two bonus tracks) in “Last Patrol”.
All in all “Last Patrol” finds the veterans Monster Magnet in pretty good shape, offering some tight rocking jams that will definitely keep their followers happy and at the same time might just turn a few younger listeners to the Monster Magnet sound.