A MIGHTY FOREST BLACK is a band from Italy that has been described, and would describe themselves, as goner rock or grunge. To some degree this is true, but there are also elements of 70’s rock, as well as electric hard blues and psychedelic. Similar to what some newer bands are doing, bands like Rival Sons and Greta Van Fleet. Put it all together, the grunge, the stoner, the seventies vibe, the modern groove, and you get “The Hedonist.” This is the sophomore album from the band, who first formed in 2013 and released their first album in 2018. They started working on “The Hedonist” during the pandemic, which has come together as a collection of songs of life, society, human nature, and feelings written in a uniquely poetic way.

 The first track, “Animals and Warriors,” is carried by a good seventies vibe groove, which begins after a strange sounding  intro that is a music box sound. “Mental Maze” is the heaviest song on the album. While it is still not metal, it has a fast riff with a heavy distorted guitar tone. “Ocean Beats” slows down the pace with a slow somber guitar. The guitars on here are mostly clean. The riff changes slightly during the verses, but still keeps the pace and mood originally set. Two thirds of the way through, the song picks up slightly and gets a little heavier, with the guitars getting crunchier. “The Gambler” starts with a quirky moderate beat and guitar riff. The verses are carried by a second guitar that follows the melody. There’s a cool little transition riff leading to the chorus. The song ends with a short instrumental break, with heavier rhythm and lead guitars, before going back to the chorus and ending with the same heavy guitars. “Grave Digger” has a good lively, heavy beat and guitar riff. With a good fast driving rhythm, it is a good way to end the album. There’s a nice transition in the song, before the solo, where it slows down to less than half time. Then it's back into the regular time groove to end the song.

With their album, “The Hedonist,” A Mighty Forest Black mixes old and new. They experiment with new sounds, while remaining true to their original sound. They mix seventies rock and psychedelic with a modern edge. While the guitars are good and create a unique vibe, the vocals are adequate at best. Often the vocals just seem to drone on with little melody, or little that inspires anything memorable.