Mahavatar: From The Sun, The Wind, The Rain, The Soil

The band Mahavatar might hail from Brooklyn and NYC but their roots are from a more worldly level with lead singer Lizza Hasan coming from Israel and Karla Williams, Jamaica. The two formed the core writing team that allowed Mahavatar to record their Cruz Del Sur debut Go With The No. The album was loaded with grinding, yet sometimes passionate vocals as well as a lot of crunching guitar work. However for fans of the band in the States it was not an easy album to get a hold of. The band recently signed on to Escapi Music last year and now as a result of their efforts the larger public will get to enjoy this very interesting band. Comparing the two CD's, every song from Go With The No is available on this new release with the addition of another track. Having listened to some World Metal a la Orphaned Land (Israel) and Cruachan (Ireland) I was a little surprised to find a limited amount of world sound in their music. Instead there is a Gothic Metal energy ebbing on many of the tracks such as "Open Your Minds" and "Deep Cobble" where Lizza starts soft and ends up growling like the hungriest of Metal wolves. The lyrics are written much like poetic verse and I feel some fans of the band Otep might enjoy this as well but do not expect the thrashing of Otep material in Mahavatar music. Their style is more of a slowly chugging train bringing forth feels of some solid Stoner or Doom Metal acts that have come before them. The line up completing the Mahavatar puzzle is as mentioned Lizza and Karla who are joined by Szymon Rapacz (bass) and Shahar Mintz (guitars). Drums have been recorded by T. Motta and R. Star.

Mahavatar is also a band with a strong New York feel and it's amazing to find the levels of difference that many groups from the area strive to bring to the table. There is nothing run of the mill to their style and sound and having caught them a couple of times in the clubs I can attest to the ability to deliver in that scenario as well. Tracks that did it for me on the album were "Anger", "Cult" and "Raw"; like most Metal the music of Mahavatar will have your fist pumping in to the air. The difference is that some of the material will cause this raised fist to also be held high in righteous strength for ones self and the world that surrounds them. The CD comes with a lyric book and they merit looking over if you like to read along as the music plays. If you are a fan of powerful Metal fronted by a female lead then I advise you to check further into the one and the only – Mahavatar.

Track Listing

1. Cult
2. By The Numbers
3. Raw
4. BH
5. Open Your Minds
6. Psychos
7. The Prophecy
8. Deep Cobble
9. Anger
10. The Time Has Come

Added: July 18th 2006
Reviewer: Ken Pierce
Score:
Related Link: Band Website
Hits: 3010
Language: english

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