MANTRIC MOMENTUM
“Alienized”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

9/10

Mantric Momentum are a heavy metal band from Norway formed in 2011 releasing the bands debut album ‘Trial By Fire’ in 2022, and sophomore album ‘Alienized’ in 2025.

Founded by multi-instrumentalist Christer Haroy, Christer recruited his cousin, vocalist Terje Haroy (Pyramaze) to complete the bands line-up, their debut album a thoroughly enjoyable, thunderous hour and twelve songs of traditional, melodic heavy metal – with the follow-up ‘Alienized’, fifty five minutes and eleven songs long! Talk about value for money – the album opening with the two minute highly symphonic metal instrumental ‘Prelude To Take-Off’, featuring orchestration by Magnus Karlsson (Magnus Karlsson’s Free Fall, Primal Fear, The Ferrymen). The atmosphere here is sensational, sending chills darting right down the spine – ‘Resilience’ striding into sight with a majestic level higher than the fucking sky! Mantric Momentum blend the abrasive nature of hustle and bustle metal with the bands root melodic sound, ‘Resilience’ appealing to a very wide audience, every metal fan from Iron Maiden to Grave Digger, Judas Priest to Rage turning their heads in the direction of the dynamic Norwegian duo.

The title song ‘Alienized’ comes hurtling outta the blocks at a hundred miles an hour, the iconic metal gallop taking centre stage as the band storm the castle with an irresistible blend of melodic heavy metal, ‘Alienized’ (the song) capturing the attentions of every listener, fan, follower and metaller on the planet! I tell ya readers, heads will be vigorously rocking back and forth to this one – I know mine is! And blending the best of what hard rock and heavy metal have to offer, ‘The Highest Mountain’ is one of those spectacular genre hopping, border jumping, boundary breaking songs that appeals equally to both rock and metal fans, Mantric Momentum garnering the focus of every rocker and metaller everywhere. The opening threesome has been nothing short of sensational, the band making a bigger impact with their sophomore album than their debut, ‘The Light’ striding into a hymn-like realm with all the mellowness of balladry as fuel – every listener around the world in two minds whether lighters need to be raised high in the air! Raise ’em high I say, it won’t do nay harm and will act as a salute to the band.

And with a phenomenal energy surge, ‘Come Undone’ strides tall and proud through the heart of the heavy metal genre, the bands root sound filling the air like billowing smoke from a fire – the band firing on all cylinders to deliver an infectious, irresistible slab of magnificent heavy metal that’s gonna melt the heart of even the most hardened of metalhead! I can’t seem to stress just how fucking melodious ‘Alienized’ (the album) is, the duo from Norway striding on with ‘Time Is My Ally’ – another one of those hard rocking heavy metal songs with an immensely wide audience made up of both rockers and metallers. The gap in-between the hard rock and heavy metal genres has become a second home to Mantric Momentum with easy access on both sides for the bands every growing fanbase, ‘Remember’ seeing, or rather hearing a return to the hymn-like realm of earlier – only this time the band aren’t using balladry as fuel! Instead, there’s a definite metal alternative fuelling the band here, ‘Remember’ hitting harder than a jack hammer smashing through concrete!

The intensity of the album since it began has been spot on, Mantric Momentum keeping a tight hold on listeners attentions as ‘Sirens’ Call’ enters the fray at top speed – the band planting their feet firmly on the old school heavy metal monitor for this one, the head of every listener, fan and follower rocking back and forth at an extreme rate of knots! This is exactly how fast paced melodic heavy metal should sound like, the Norwegian metallers in their element right now as ‘A Stronger Stance’ maintains the previous songs incredible old school feel. Old school yes, but not totally old school – there’s plenty of modern touches to keep Mantric Momentum in the present and in the faces of every single listener everywhere – ‘Barricades’ bringing ‘Alienized’ (the album) to a close with a final flourish of feisty metal and rock. The metal and rock mix that was prevalent during heavy metal’s early years during the eighties is a glorious mix, and one that I spent my teenage years endlessly listening to – so it’s always gonna make me grin like the proverbial Cheshire cat when a band delivers the sound of my youth! And I’ve been smiling from ear to ear all album long.

Overall, a barnstorming yet infectious gallop of melodic heavy metal featuring a sky high infectious level and tonnes of head bang ability.

TRACKLIST

Prelude To Take-Off
Resilience
Alienized
The Highest Mountain
The Light
Come Undone
Time Is My Ally
Remember
Sirens’ Call
A Stronger Stance
Barricades

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