Manticora - Mycelium (2024)

Manticora return for their 10th full length release, faithful to the sound they are known and loved for. Blending the heavy sound of bands like Nevermore, Symphony X and Persuader, with a touch of theatrical approach, they were always the go to choice for anyone seeking a more aggressive and dark proposal that still falls under the category of Power Metal.

What can you expect from Manticora? Well for starters, heavy guitars are the protagonists on the music side. You do not have your typical Power Metal playing, but something similar to the bands mentioned above. Drumming is intense and at times it even goes down to blast beats. Lars Larsen’s distinct voice is also present and takes big credit for making Manticora’s heaviest moments sound more melodic and dramatic. He does not sing in high notes but prefers a more emotional approach, kind of like Warrel Dane did. Also there is use of backing vocals a la Blind Guardian that adds a touch of epicness to the songs.

Mycelium shows its teeth from the start with Necropolitans and its heavy riffing and we do not need to proceed far enough before some brutal vocals also make their appearance. In Demonday we have a similar situation, with Angel of the Spring slowing things down and acting like a power ballad before the speed catches up again for Golem Sapiens. From there the album never loses steam till the end. For the whole duration there are many surprises, as the mix between Power Metal and various techniques borrowed from Black, Death Metal or Thrash, is everywhere and it is what makes Manticora so unique.

After the album ends we are left with the realization that Mycelium is very good and that Manticora continue to be a safe pick when it comes to the more aggressive side of Power Metal. However this musical approach also comes with a big challenge. That challenge is to find a big audience, as it may end up too heavy for strictly Power Metal fans and too melodic for followers of the more extreme sub-genres. For those in between, it will most probably hit that sweet spot.