MOTHERSHIP – Mothership

Classic Hard Rock, Stoner Rock, Post-Grunge, Southern Rock; it doesn’t matter how they are categorized, Mothership is the real deal when it comes to hard and heavy Rock and Metal. This London based quartet, with an average band member age of 20, may very well be the second coming of Rock as fans know it. Their self-titled debut album is filled with strident and persuasive guitar riffs, magical and emotion-filled vocals, as well as monstrous drum beats. They favor all the intricacies that made bands like Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynyrd household names.

Mothership is led by the animated and eccentric singer, Jack Stiles. His overall performance and unique stage presence can be compared to the late Michael Hutchence and Jim Morrison, but his gift for performing is quite extraordinary. Not many singers of today carry that swagger and arrogance, but Stiles is blessed with both. His bold theatrical voice provides outlandish guidance providing the perfect complement to guitarist Ben Lochrie’s self-assertive guitar riffs.

Power chords are an understatement when speaking of Lochrie’s style of guitar playing. He plays with the finesse and character of Jimmy Page while belting out the brashness of Zakk Wylde. There aren’t any new guitar players out there who sound more authentic and genuine, or play with such passion as Lochrie. His riffs are mesmerizing and hypnotic. Just one listen to the intro of the song “Angel Of Death” is a clear indication of how music can truly transcend one’s soul.

There are some critics that might consider the sound of Mothership to be too gimmicky, or copycats of a bygone era of 1970’s Guitar Rock. To argue that point, there is a quirky sense of originality surrounding Mothership, not necessarily from the uniqueness of the compositions, but more involved around the soul and character of the music in general. If considering bands like The Cult or Pearl Jam, there is a significant amount of personal passion from the artist that goes into their music. Mothership follows that same chemistry and divine intervention.

There are only eight tracks on Mothership, with the opening track being an instrumental piece. Surprisingly, those eight tracks are more than enough material to fill the listener with sufficient motivation to keep coming back for more. The final track on the album, “Lunar Master” is a great, epic eight minute song that segues from a Classic Hard Rock force into a psychedelic experience, reminiscent of the famed middle section of Iron Maiden’s “Rime Of The Ancient Mariner.” The whole exceeding presence ties right back to the opener “Hallucination”, which thematically is a cross between classic Black Sabbath and Uriah Heep.

Mothership is a vast musically intoxicating experience that can be enjoyed by fans of many different styles of Metal, mostly because the themes expressed on this album are indicative of Metal’s true roots. If Grammies were given to real music, Mothership would be nominated for and win album of the year.