Cottonmouth are a band that had eluded my radar until very recently, now they seem to be everywhere for me….including on my regular playlists of choice. I’ve even managed to catch them play at Bloodstock which was where they cemented my loyalty as a fan.
If you are unaware of them, they are a Nottinghamshire based band that create music at the metal end of the rock spectrum. You have that accessible rock style riff coupled with a more metal tone and deeper vibe. With that, it must be said that it seems more technical based with the lyrics verging on being quite deep, often alluding to something more ancient or timeless. Thinking man’s metal? It certainly makes you reflect as you’re listening.
The Altered Mind EP is the collection of their five single releases, brought together to make a physical CD, so if you’re like me (old) and like something you can grasp rather than having music in the ether, then you should head over to their Bandcamp page and grab a copy.
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“Destroyer”
Opening up the EP in style and with a huge riff is “Destroyer”. The first thing that strikes you is the guitar sound, it’s as close to perfect as you can get. The second thing you notice are the vocals when they cut in, powerful and forceful yet they don’t sound harsh on the ear. The tones seem really clear until you get to that point where the singer (Jack Adkin) is pushing the boundaries of his range.
At nearly six minutes long, there is a lot to hear and the song certainly has a few tempo changes/movements within. Along with that open riff and lyrical melody, the mid section breakdown with that bass sound which leads into the Guitar solo is just sweet!
“Hollow”
A more intricate opening riff from the guys here, tempered with a more subtle sound when the vocals kick in. However, that ‘bridge’ between verse and chorus is flipping awesome! This has become my favourite track just because of that particular point.
The overall production of this EP is top quality, the low end has as much to say as the guitars and vocals giving each of the tracks a very full sound.
“Altered Mind”
Setting off at a fairly fast pace, this track barely gives you time to breathe. What makes this track standout are its thought provoking lyrics and its rather epic sounding chorus.
Something that struck me whilst listening to this was the vocal diction. You could clearly hear each word which is something seemingly rare in a lot of recordings. It shows that little bit of extra care to detail which makes tracks go from good to great.
“Made Of Stone”
A very metal intro leads into what can be only said as something unexpected. The track slows right down then builds away into something quite special. That midsection, chunky riff is fantastic and the drumming just seems insane!
“Skin And Bone”
A chuggy riff with a great guitar tone leads into the final track. Everything about this song has quite an aggressive, almost brutal feel to it. This certainly gets the adrenaline pumping through your veins… what a way to close!
Sometimes, trying to dissect tracks to explain the quality of a particular release, it is just not adequate. I really rate this EP, there is an abundance of talent here which has come together to write and create some cracking music. If you’ve heard a track here and there on the radio or streaming service, I strongly recommend that you take 20 minutes out and listen to this EP in its entirety. Then you can grasp just how good Cottonmouth really are.
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Altered Mind is out on October 9th
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