The second album is out and it is called as Gilgamesh, which revolves around the ancient MesopotamianEpic of Gilgamesh. Mahatma set-up a high anticipation with their first release and they didn’t disappoint at all with the new one. Another heavy psychedelic stoner doom metal release. It is so unadulterated with down tuned guitars and minimal distortion, no funny business. I listened to this plenty of times before writing this, however good I felt about this release, I still felt I am missing the vocals. Just that in addition will put this band in the lines of bands like Sleep, High on Fire etc.
There are about six lengthy tracks in the album, starting with Blood On Uruk. Ultra-slow and ultra-heavy riffs marks the characteristic stoner/doom metal. The track is not filled in with like tons of riffs but it is kept simple and repetitive to build a patterned mood. The occasional pauses and distortions add well to the trip. The album title track follows next, it straightaway starts showing the variations from the first track. It is a definite positive sign to move ahead with the album. It kind of revivifies from the mood set earlier and mostly moves ascending throughout. The middle part, around 3:40 mark of the song when the guitar processor comes into play, it’s so fucking mind-blowing. The entire song is a happy journey, unlike a typical gloomy doom metal.
Enkidu’s End now slows down the album again, just the perfect way to play with your brain, one minute you are in all smiles and then the next minute you sink into a spiral depth. And you still enjoy this flight, this is where Mahatma succeeds. Though the songs are well diverse, they still cling on to your mood. Again, the way guitar processors are used in this track is simply impeccable. The drums and bass guitar stands out well in this track, may be because of the slowness. A perfectly done ultra-doom track. The fourth track The Secret of Immortality is so fucking evil right from the beginning. It is in a way chilling and callous that incriminates a lonely feeling. Nevertheless an enjoyable track, unless you are in a paranoid trip.
There is some ray of hope in Find the Sacred Herb. It’s very emotional gives an organic feeling. The last track The Final Decline is when everything comes down descending into the underworld, loss of hope as the back cover art of the album indicates. Dejected and left-alone mood again, slowly treads and finally ends like an impassable barrage, might be the final feeling before the death.
In my first paragraph I said I missed the vocals in this album. But If I really think about it Mahatma is mounting a new style of stoner doom metal that completely speaks on just instruments alone. They don’t really need a guy singing to tell you the story. It is very clear after all.
- Morgoth