Swedish rockers SPACE PROBE TAURUS can trace their origins all the way back to 1992, with the current name first being used in 1997. Throughout the years, various members have come and gone, but as a band they have persisted, seeing the release of their debut album in 2008. Now their new album, "Mondo Satan" is ready to hit the shelves.

The band describe their style as acid fuzz rock, solely due to a friend describing their music in such a way, and thankfully not due to trying too hard to carve out their own genre. This sense of fun and passion from SPACE PROBE TAURUS is endearing, but unfortunately, it leads you to expect more from the band than they actually deliver.

Opening track, "Scorpio Queen", sets the tone for the album. Although an interesting and promising title, the song doesn't really have the desired impact. All components of the music are performed with energy, and the song is a solid, well-written chunk of hard rock. However, for some reason, it just doesn't click, partly due to the production. The loyalty to a fuzzy, garage sound means that the music and vocals tend to blend together, forming a singular wall of noise. Guitar solos don't really cut through the mix well, and the overall feeling is one of sloppiness.

This is a trend that runs throughout the album. Song titles like "Galaxy Travelin' Blues" have the potential to lead to an enjoyable and memorable track, but again, SPACE PROBE TAURUS don't take advantage of that. On the whole, there is just nothing that stands out enough to make you want to go back for a second listen.

Having been a band in one form or another for over 20 years, SPACE PROBE TAURUS are clearly passionate about what they do, and have put a huge amount of effort into delivering countless demos in addition to their 2 albums. Having fought through so many line up changes, they're clearly persisting because they love what they do! And that is a great thing! It's therefore difficult to criticise the band and their output. However, considering the experience the band have, it's not unfair to expect a little more refinement and polish, and so "Mondo Satan" doesn't really hit the mark!