Label: Self released
Date: December 3rd, 2020
Ah, so it is finally here! The first full-on metal assault on Covid-19! It was about time someone shouts out to kill this plague already. Vaccine is on the way, virus beware!
Oh wait… Forget about this. It’s not the plague of 2020 Green Mantis is dealing with. This one is actually much older than this lousy virus. Talking about humanity here, of course.
However, the similarities between Green Mantis and the virus do exist. First of all, this project is spread half way around the globe. The two members are coming from Mexico and Serbia, respectively. Second of all, these guys are up to no good, as far as humans are concerned. This entire EP, which is the debut release by the duo, is dedicated to showing how our species has successfully ruined, destroyed and devastated all it has managed to touch. Ultimately, the hope this release offers is that we will annihilate ourselves too. Much to delight of everything we are surrounded with.
Now, what happens musically on “Kill the Plague”? Complete and utter destruction is the simple answer. More complicated one would be a neutron bomb compiled of a variety of particles.
Not having heard previous outputs by the Mexican half of the band, I can still easily connect Green Mantis to the Serbian one. Terrorhammer is a fairly good reference to what can be heard on “Kill the Plague”. Primeval black metal, heavily fueled by thrash. However, this project offers something more. Namely, a whole lot of punk, or even hardcore influences. These obviously come from Rodo Insaniac, from the Mexican hardcore / punk band Acidez. Easy to guess just by looking at the man’s picture.
The EP is, as it must be with a genre definition as mentioned above, fierce, insanely aggressive, driving relentlessly, adrenaline pumping and… I suppose, saved by its mere length. Of course, nobody expects any re-inventing here. None is there to be found, either. However, with the ever expanding number of black ‘n’ roll bands out there, we get to a certain fulfillment. These five tracks presented here are quite close to a whole lot of others. They are definitely catchy, with those assaulting riffs and blood boiling rhythms. They do induce heads to bang. Where they fail is actually not in the repetitiveness of themselves, but the fact that there are already tons of similar acts and tracks around.
Naturally, this type of sound never gets old. How could it, when “old” is the natural habitat of this genre. Furthermore, it has a loyal fan base that will swallow “Kill the Plague” without even chewing it first. As for me, I’m glad this release is just under twenty minutes long. This way I can undoubtedly enjoy it. For a longer material, I would definitely need more, from the compositional side at least.
In any case, Green Mantis is out. Looking to devour the very ones it uses for breeding. Humanity devours everything. Now, it is our turn to be eaten!
