Album Review: The Mountain King – WolloW (Cursed Monk Records)

From the makers of ‘Wicked Zen’ and ‘The Smell of Stars And Vomit’, a new sound experience arises. ‘WolloW’ is the new mind- and time-twisting album from The Mountain King. It will be released on February 22nd, 2022 on CD and digital via Cursed Monk Records.

No pressure but I named The Smell of Stars and Vomit Vol.2 as the best album of 2021. To say this new offering from The Mountain King is much anticipated is to underplay just how mind-blowing that last release was.

Was it a one-off though? Can The Mountain King capture lightening twice?

Beginning with mournful shoegaze melody, I Bongnob is an instant hit of melancholic beauty. It is an ethereal track, the vocals drifting like clouds over the sky, that is grounded by a muted drum beat and an increasing urgency. One that builds over the track’s near 6-minute runtime making the beauty of the melody sound darker.

Such a tasty start needs something to freshen up the palette and with II In girum imus noctem aram et consumimur igni, The Mountain King gives us a mouthful of avant-garde black metal. The tone shift would be jarring if this was anyone else but The Mountain King. The colder and harsher sound fits neatly around the unusual melodies and sense of confusion.

Following that, III Wollow is a methodical, doom and folk-infused gaze into the darkness. One that feels like you’re sinking into a pit of despair. Whereas IV Sophos has a similar doom vibe, but it is a much more potent piece of music as it transitions into harsher black metal soundscapes. Both tracks continuing to shun traditions and expectations as The Mountain King balances absorbing musical imagination with palatable reality.

V DNA Sand might take the crown for the most unusual track on the album though as the collusion of effects and sounds creates something with deep and uncomfortable atmosphere.

So, it is at this point that it must be pointed out that what makes WolloW such a unique album is that it is a palindrome. Not just the title of the album or the track titles but the music itself. We now start to work our way through the tracks but in the opposite direction.

Staring with sophoS VI, hitting wolloW III then ingi rumimusnoc te mara metcon sumi murig nI II and finally bongnoB I. All playing out in mirror fashion, this is an idea that really shouldn’t work but this is The Mountain King and what we get are four fascinating, discombobulating, and captivating pieces of music. Ones that sound fresh, offer a unique take and a truly imaginative structure.

Do not be surprised if you find yourself mouth agape once again. It’s not hyperbole to suggest that there is nobody out there quite like The Mountain King. Once again, they have delivered an album of the year contender on WolloW and chances are, months down the line, it will hold as much potency as it did the first time it was heard.

The Mountain King – WolloW Full Track Listing:

1. I Bongnob
2. II In girum imus noctem aram et consumimur igni
3. III Wollow
4. IV Sophos
5. V DNA Sand
6. sophoS VI
7. wolloW III
8. ingi rumimusnoc te mara metcon sumi murig nI II
9. bongnoB I

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