Mates, I am way down with the Greek scene, my musical soulmates. The rock and psy-desert music in Greece is just incredible there right now and the dudes don the facial hair loud and proud, like freedom fighters for the Stoner Resistance.  'AMMA' is the fourth release by PUTA VOLCANO (2012), who call the cradle of civilization Athens, Greece their home. PUTA VOLCANO should be tripping their 2020 tour fantastic right now in some European rawknroll hole near you. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 virus has other plans for music festivals and tours this Spring and maybe this whole year. We do have this silvery heavy raging slab to keep us occupied. Let's have a listen, shall we - Ας ακούσουμε, εμείς?

"Re-Entry" warms up the delay pedal with Alex Pi tracked way in the background before decidedly dropping into "Entropica" with its shifty hammer-on guitar lick letting it all hang out.  I decided to care... Track #3 leads us into the vocal seesaw playground of "Venus Lullaby". This is some stout tuneage that lights up the earways... try to let go..."First Light" has another killer rubberneck guitar riff by Alex Pi that reminds me of FEAR FACTORY industrial strength axeman Dino Cazares, less the mechanized and gated pounding guitar blasts. These songs blaze Anna's pushed vocal metric lines accented in part by the final mix, one damn hot mix. As Shakespeare would say, oft thee just has't to rolleth with t.

"Black Box" has Bookies playing with fire ... time, meter and the downbeat. This cat is great and one of the best reasons to listen to 'AMMA' with his effortless mini drum riffs ala Neil Peart, riffs that simultaneously keep the songs together while adding black majik spice. I can feel every kick drum beat on the dani bandolier low-fi. By the time "Sugar Cube" drops, we are well aware that TOOL and Adam Jones are major influences on the bands songs, at least for this music release. "Echoing Icons" has one bad ass guitar delay and volume swell passage out front of knuckle dragger "Primitive Data". Alex writes the majority of lyrics on 'AMMA' and has a nice line here, "No matter the distance I go, I'll put my ear to the ground, My heartbeat drumming loud, A compass to home". "Torus" lets Anna take us into outer space ... Cutting fast from time and space ... outer-space rock that is, lyrically.

"Kassandra's Gift" showcases a Sub Up octave synth pedal (or something similar) used for a lovely modulated 12 string guitar introduction. Again, Alex lays down the three or four fingered slippery trampoline guitar riff while the band battens the hatches with their post rock nails. This tune shows some dynamics for but a second. This is my favorite song on 'AMMA'.

Squared away and relentless, that is how I would describe 'AMMA'. There is nothing loose, or breezy or uncomposed on 'AMMA'. I get it - the band is going for a driving, heavy presentation that grabs you by the neck and drops the downbeat on your head, tumbling and rolling along from the first pounding note. I get it, and I dig it - I like it hard. I do have but One Lament: the mastering on 'AMMA' is mercilessly brick-walled. The tracks are mixed and mastered to the same relative loudness, a mix-style committed effect in and of itself. Most every moment of 'AMMA' is LOUD with every note shouting it out for a piece of the sound stage, 'DEATH MAGNETIC' style. Some like it hot, indeed. I do want to see the band at a live event and feel the PUTA VOLCANO eruption. Bravo mates ¡!

My home, my little home, a little house of my own ... and the Dani Bandolier Spotify playlist!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/272H3UBARsuksY3BqU0CzP?si=GIMf9L4PRjmWzo2tATVMAg