I was cleaning my Inbox and needed some sound to play in my earphones, so sampling a single by Finnish Steel Mammoth sounded like a good idea. Especially as unexpected, unusual, disappointing and annoying was promised. I can put up with 5 min of that.

Not sure who is still involved with Steel Mammoth from the last release Atomic Oblivion, but I will assume Jussi Lehtisalo cannot abandon his bastard child. Judging from the fact Machine of Constant Sorrow is still on Ektro, Jussi’s label, that is probably the case. Looking at the single’s cover, there is another partner in crime here for this intentional attempt to be abominated.

Why abomination you ask? After doing stoner for years, and then getting aggressive punk on Nuclear Rebirth and Atomic Oblivion, proclaiming the latter “one of the heaviest records you will ever hear”, Steel Mammoth does synthpop with Machine of Constant Sorrow. Well, if you follow or like any releases from Ektro or Svart, and heard Circle, you have to be prepared for eclectic. Machine of Constant Sorrow is certainly “diverse”, but I will never call it synthpop. Synthprog, with again a hefty helping of psychedelia, is a more apt description. Synthetic and therefore lightweight in sound, the single stumbles around rhythmically, creates a number of melodic loops, all as if under influence of some hallucinogenic mushrooms growing so profusely in Scandinavian forests. Vocalizing, or better yet moaning, is very discernible, lyrics very audible and just as head-scratching. This is what you get to do when you run your own company/label. You can put out material that is a spur of the moment, unfitting and in your face. I have to admit, I am jealous to be able to do things this carefree.