Möuth may have only formed in 2023, but as you make your way through the Swedish group’s debut Global Warning they sound like they’ve been around for much longer as there’s a level of polish and precision to their music that’s not as uncommon with brand new bands. Stylistically the trio initially comes in somewhere between doom, hard rock/heavy metal, and stoner rock, but there are nuances to each song that pull from an even wider range of influences. With equal amount of big, lumbering hooks that draw you in and mellower, psychedelic leaning elements that are slower burns, Möuth has plenty to offer no matter where your tastes fall.
“Holy Ground” is an effective opener, as it has some of the heaviest instrumentation on the album and really leans into that booming yet groovy sound that falls somewhere between doom and heavy metal. It’s very Torche like for the first few minutes, channeling a similar balance of dense, weighty instrumentation and melodic elements, but around the halfway point the first of many twists come into play. Here the low-end keeps lurching forward, but melodies that have a more psychedelic flair to them take over and things become more introspective and moodier. This is one of the main factors that makes Möuth so effective, as they typically frame their songs around a big hook or groove that’s equal parts doom, stoner rock, and hard rock, but transition into softer sections or unexpected riffs that give the material its own identity. Global Warning also has a noticeable shift from its first to second half, with the change in sound anchored by the instrumental track “World Pain”. It isn’t a complete 180, as there is still plenty of rumbling low-end from the bass but the second half leans further into the psychedelic and stoner rock end of the spectrum with more expansive melodies and a slightly more laid-back approach. Closer “In My City” is a perfect example, as it opts for a slow-burning and methodical cadence that almost has an alternative rock feel at points. Admittedly this particular track felt like it went on for just a bit too long, but the experimentation is appreciated and I’d like to hear Möuth considering to explore some of these mellower elements alongside the louder hooks.
The vocals are another area where the group covers quite a bit of ground, and the performance brings some interesting combinations to the table. On “Holy Ground” and a few of the other songs the singer sounds very close to Ozzy, with certain moments making me feel like I’m hearing Ozzy front Torche and others making me think he’s fronting Truckfighters. It’s an approach that works well and gives Möuth equal amounts of appeal to the heavy metal and stoner rock crowd. But the pitch shifts alongside the rest of the band, and by the time you reach “In My City” you’ll have heard several passages where the singing shifts to a softer and hazier tone. This is also true on the sprawling “Sheep”, as the singing seems to move in and out of the warmer guitar leads. Considering just how many new bands in the doom or stoner rock/metal space seem to go for the exact same style of vocals, it’s these types of little details that give Möuth an edge.
There is still room for Möuth to refine some of their softer elements and not let things sprawl out too far, but there’s no denying just how strong of a debut this is. It hits all the right notes for music that’s somewhere between doom, hard rock, and stoner/psychedelic rock, ensuring that fans of everything from Black Sabbath to Kyuss will find something to enjoy here. The combination of sounds is also delivered in a way that doesn’t feel as derivative compared to some of the others out there, and I’ll be interested to see how the trio builds upon this foundation in the coming years. Global Warning is available from Bonebag Records.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg