Ufomammut – Hidden

Seldom has there been a band name that fits the music so perfectly. For twenty-five years, the three Italian masterminds of Ufomammut have been unleashing their raucous mammoth-like sludge, with an ever-present ethereal vibe conveying its trippy UFO-energy. In a more distant past, one could even recognise vocal parallels with an alienesque Ozzy, though that description undoubtedly comes across as a pleonasm. Now, the successor to Fenice (2022) is here, in the shape of Hidden.

A striking difference with the previous record is that this newcomer is more straightforward. There is less room for quieter intermezzos, and a diminished sense of dreaminess in the acoustics. Naturally, the band’s sound remains recognisable, but the sludgelike quality of Ufomammut becomes increasingly reminiscent of the sinister darkness of the likes of Conan. Crunchy, repetitive, and spiritual, but of course still atmospheric at times. Personally, I am not the biggest fan of the excessive focus on outer space on the earlier releases of these Italians, so it is good to see that there is less of that on this record. However, this does not mean that their music will not still entrance you. Listen to “Kismet” or “Leeched” and you will find yourself carried away to a mystical and swampy atmosphere. On the latter song, I even sensed a Tool-like quality in the vocals.

Critics might condemn this album for its monotonous sludginess, which is the downside of releasing an album that is fully engrained in its genre, without many deviations. Soulost is the odd one out, with its seventies-vibe that steadily builds up and retains its sludge rhythms without losing its ethereal sense. It gives the song an outro-like quality, especially since there are few moments of tranquillity elsewhere on the record. Granted, Mausoleum has some calmer moments halfway through its 10-minute running time, but the overall mood is definitely different to Fenice.

On the whole, this new treasure from Ufomammut does not have to remain hidden. It occasionally gets stuck in the swamp, but that is inherent to the genre. I find it very enjoyable to immerse myself in this type of metal, and with this album these gentlemen at times demonstrate that they genuinely do belong to the upper echelon of the genre.