Here is another band that has been active for almost 28 years before they have come to my attention. MANTICORA is a part of Danish Power that finally has gotten my attention in the right way. Having been erected in Hvidovre, Hovedstaden in Denmark, they have just released “Mycelium” as their tenth studio album to date. And before all those who do know about MANTICORA start jumping in, “Mycelium” offers a whole new perspective on their music.

As the information sheet states: “Mycelium” is less symphonic and with an angrier, raw approach, with aggressiveness as the main-focus. MANTICORA has created a DIY album, where the only outside influence has been the mastering (done by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios). Everything else is crafted by the band: concept, lyrics, music, production, artwork - you name it, MANTICORA provides. And I’ll just state this up front; I love it to bits. I didn’t from the start, though. As with some other Danish bands, I needed to get used to the vocals and how they are used by MANTICORA. So I was concentrating on that aspect more than anything else. That caused me to lose the big picture. That was obviously corrected once I started feeling that whatever Lars F. Larsen was doing was actually making sense. Not only that, I even start to like the way he uses his voice, the way the lyrical lines are set and the sparse but eloquent use of harmonies within the songs.

That made then concentrate on the musical side of things and very soon I made a very pleasant discovery. What “Mycelium” is bringing to the (turn)table does sound very familiar! And yes, the more I listened, the harder it hit me; MANTICORA has remodelled themselves into a Danish version quality of NEVERMORE! So, in an instant I recognise why I like what I am hearing so much. And as I always have been a massive NEVERMORE fan, I all of a sudden, I have become a MANTICORA afficionado. Because I can’t get past the fact that all the songs have been written, played, recorded and produced to a very hight standard. All this music has power, speed, diversity and exactly the right amount of tension and intensity. And again; quality. Even a subdued song like “Angel Of The Spring” comes out sounding strong. So, if “Mycelium” is the new direction that MANTICORA is heading from now on, I’m diving in. Yes, feet first!