ALBUM REVIEW: Blanke Barter – Malossi

Can you connect with an album if you don’t understand the lyrics? We give ourselves over to bands like RAMMSTEIN without question, but can that phenomenon be repeated? With their second album, Blanke Barter, Norwegian stoner rock outfit MALOSSI hopes it can. Blanke Barter is the band’s first effort completely in their native language. With their fusion of groove and blues with a bit of doom, MALOSSI use 10 songs to transport us to a hazy, feel-good world.

Characteristic stoner fuzz subtly sits in the groove of opener Far Hass Knut. Licks of harmonica melodies perk up the ears. Curiosity piqued, we already feel our horizons expanding. As we settle into the experience, we hear MALOSSI is a subscriber to the less is more ethos. These four moving parts marry together to create something much larger and intoxicating.

The label stoner rock comes with the assumption the record ahead is going to be full frontal fuzz. While this can be said for MALOSSI, it isn’t entirely true. Kaffekjæft settles into the buzz as the vocals are low. Yet Kløpp Dreieventiln pulls from old school rock ‘n’ roll. Slick transitional licks feel like KISS in their composition. This influence oozes into a dual guitar solo from Roy Møllerud and Tommy Hylden. The melodic, rounded tones may not fit the genre, but they still wash over us with contact high.

Delving into the doom metal part of stoner, MALOSSI give us a different high with Tomt Prat. Drawn out vocals overlaying droning bass immerse us in haziness. Tomt Prat’s soundscape feels oppressive; booming drums coupled with a dark riff fill us with dread. This is further exploited with a tolling of the bells. Bass heavy blasts beneath it all quicken the heart and make for imposing listening.

These doom elements aren’t front and centre of Blanke Barter. It’s clear MALOSSI want to change stoner rock’s perception. Whether it be pushing the speed of solos in Kløpp Dreieventiln, or the pacing of an entire song as done in Vante Sko. MALOSSI have taken the time to explore the depths of their sound. This experimentation comes to a head with Tusen Mål Jord. An already energetic song for the genre, it’s the solo which shakes the system. While it can’t be pinpointed what was used, it jars the song. So much so when MALOSSI introduces the core song again, we’re still thinking about what happened.

Blanke Barter is a 10 song deep dive into the weird and wonderful minds of MALOSSI. From the harmonica fuelled groove of Drømmer På Boks, to the bass heavy grunge of Kje Med Are, this is an immersive listen. MALOSSI encourage us to broaden our horizons while they push their own, to the point the language barrier doesn’t matter, nor should it when it comes to music.

Rating: 7/10

Blanke Barter is set for release on August 13th via Rob Mules Records.

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