Ufomammut: Two Decades Of Cosmic Exploration

Twenty years ago, things were different. Not only a different century, but a different millennium, a time before Brexit, Trumpian dystopia, and Minecraft. A time when doom-drone psychonauts UFOMAMMUT were poised to form in the north-west Italian commune of Tortona.

“There was not a plan, and there’s not still today, about what we were going to do. I think that 20 years together have been something unique, a goal we couldn’t even imagine,” says bassist/vocalist Urlo when asked if he thought the trio would still be making music together two decades on. “We did a lot of things, a lot of dreams came true and I hope a lot will still have to come for us.” It’s a sentiment echoed by sticksman Vita. “That’s something that not one of us could ever have thought possible. 20 years is a milestone that few bands have had the good fortune of reaching, especially with the same line-up”.

That their core line-up has stayed so solid is a rarity, especially when you consider that even the progenitors of heavy metal, BLACK SABBATH, have gone through several permutations. Guitarist Poia chalks this up to two simple reasons, “We’ve been lucky and stubborn.” Vita puts things in more of an emotional context, “friendship between us became way more important than just being bandmates. We are a kind of family now.” Urlo sees both sides; “I don’t think there’s a precise reason. Surely we’re stubborn and we followed our path and our dreams since the beginning, trying to do something that could have been remembered as UFOMAMMUT. We put our life in this. And I’m proud and happy of everything we’ve done.”

If we could send UFOMAMMUT hurtling back through time and space (soundtracked by one of their spiralling, epically cosmic albums, naturally) would they pass on any of the two decades of wisdom they’ve built up on to their younger selves? “No advice, otherwise the future would change,” says Urlo, which is the correct Sci-Fi fan answer. “If I did that, I probably wouldn’t be the person I’m today. And it’s okay. I can’t say I’m happy of everything I’ve become, but I’ve no regrets.” Poia is a bit more practically minded; “check the lock in the back of the van. It will break with the gear closed inside!”

Change, organic growth, and evolution are hallmarks of UFOMAMMUT’s music, their riffs constantly shifting over the course of their long-form tracks. As their sound grows and changes, have the band also noticed changes in themselves? “We have learned in many aspects of the music, from the mere playing technique, dynamics in the songs, creative process, recording methods and other ‘tricks’” says Poia. “We are still playing and exploring new musical landscapes. I am proud to be part of this band.” Vita compares their transition as musicians to the ones we all make as a part of life. “We know how to record an album and have especially learned how to please our crowd when we are on stage. It was a natural process, like growing up from childhood and becoming an adult.”

Speaking of the process of ageing, it’s perhaps the one thing the band have any complaints about, especially when it comes to life on the road. “I had 20 years less and everything was easier, from staying sat in a van for a day, to getting some sleep,” explains Urlo. “I can feel I’m older now, but I love this life a lot and I couldn’t leave it. What I’ve always loved is the approach we have to our tour life is the Do It Yourself way we approach what we do.” Poia is a bit more optimistic, “we are still pretty trained for the road life. We’ll see what will happen in the next twenty years!”

It would be remiss of any band not to mark 20 years making music together with something monumental. UFOMAMMUT have just the thing. Well, two things, actually. The first is a completionist’s dream; a boxed set of their discography so far; Godlike Snake, Snailking, Lucifer Songs, Idolum, Eve, Oro, Ecate, and 8. The second is the ninth addition to the box set; a new, and boundary pushing release, fittingly titled XX, which features stripped back acoustic reworkings of six UFOMAMMUT songs.

“We wanted to do something different, something we never did before,” Urlo explains. “We decided this was a great path to follow, a real challenge for us. Playing our songs in a different way is very intriguing for us, being on stage playing synths instead of bass is so strange and motivating to me. This is something we couldn’t have imagined years ago for sure. Now it was the right time for us to experiment this way of playing and surely it has taught us a lot.” Poia sees the release of XX as “a way to put a sort of milestone in our journey. We applied the idea of musical crescendo, from pianissimo to fortissimo, building it on the structures of old and new UFOMAMMUT songs. Surely a way for make them live in a different form.” Vita believes this was the best way the trio could have celebrated such a special anniversary; “20 years is a long time so the anniversary needed to be celebrated in the right way. We didn’t do a “best hits” like most of bands do to celebrate something special. Actually, we’ve never had a greatest hits album and I hope we will never do.”

So, how do the trio plan to see out the rest of their twentieth year? “Touring and then the release of the XX boxset and, finally, relax a little” Urlo says. “Then it’ll be time to start again, to make something new to begin our next 20 years of career!” Vita skews a little more to the pessimistic. “Considering our age we’ll be lucky to make it to the end. If so, we will surely compose a new chapter of this incredible ongoing story.” Long may it continue.

XX is out now via Supernatural Cat Records.

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