Mastodawn

Mother Crone – Embrace the Death Review By Twelve

Lately, I’ve been listening to quite a bit of depressing music. Between Meadowlands, Qroba, and Exequiae, the themes of melancholy, death, and despair have been having quite the run ’round these parts. So it figures my review of the day is Embrace the Death—why turn away from a theme that’s doing well? This is the sophomore full-length release from U.S.-based Mother Crone, over a decade after their debut Awakening, and, if my research is accurate, with a completely different lineup. The topic of the day is clear, and Mother Crone approach it with a blend of doom, stoner, progressive, and groove metal. It’s always exciting to see what a band can do with a refreshed vision, lineup, and style, and apparently, grim topics are strong performers these days. How do Mother Crone compare to their contemporaries?

That my depend on how we define “contemporaries;” while Mother Crone share subject matter with the aforementioned groups, stylistically they have more in common with their own stated influences, Pink Floyd, Pantera, and Alcest (among others). As mentioned earlier, the sound on Embrace the Death is fairly well-rooted in stoner metal, with elements of doom, progressive, and groove naturally creeping in to fit the topic. Guitarists Edoardo Curatolo and Joe Frothingham (also vocals) oscillate between light, introspective play and a burlier, more aggressive approach, and Frothingham’s singing is the same. A lot of the album’s stoner and doom metal leanings actually owe to bassist Preston Wilson and drummer Charlier Romano, whose slower, grimier playing grounds the music in a progressive sort of styling. Together, the result is something at times aggressive, at times introspective, and always atmospheric in some way.

Embrace the Death by Mother Crone

But the best parts of “Embrace the Death” are unquestionably the album’s quieter moments, where Mother Crone embraces the doom and the atmosphere fully. The title track is the best example; here, Frothingham takes a break from what my father would affectionately call shouting in tune to do his best Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth) impression and guide the listener through a somber acceptance of the inevitable. The plaintive guitars, soft singing, and rumbling bass give way to subtle, beautiful melodies that grow organically. Not that the heavier moments are not welcome ones—”Fever Stone” is a more traditional, groove-led rocker that demonstrates a nearly opposite side of Mother Crone’s sound, the one that channels Pantera more than Opeth or Alcest. “Eye of Providence” is the middle track for the sound, best blending riffs, atmosphere, and heaviness. In all, Mother Crone don’t really sound like any of their influences, but bring forth something in the odd space between them all, something surprisingly affecting, sometimes heavy, sometimes airy, and often both at once.

Another thing I can say about Embrace the Death is that it is a fairly front-loaded album. In particular, the trio of “Fever Stone,” “Embrace the Death,” and “Unto the Dawn” is a powerful one-two-three hit of Mother Crone’s sound, from burly, melodic aggression to more plaintive, introspective atmospheres. Towards the end of Embrace the Death, however, I think Mother Crone loses sight of their strengths. “Inner Keep” in particular is an example of a song that could have used more editing than it received, clocking in at eleven minutes without making the impression I think it means to. “Celestial Light” is a beautiful closer for the album, but tonally feels a bit out of place. Perhaps if more of Embrace the Death leaned towards its title track sound it would fit better, but as is, it feels like the two extremes of the Mother Crone sound are more in competition with each other than blending into a unified listening experience. It’s all good music, but as a full album, I think there’s too much back and forth between aggressive and plaintive music to feel as “complete” as it could have felt.

Still, there is a clear journey through Embrace the Death, and, despite its grim title and concept, it’s a fun and reasonably thought-provoking listen. Mother Crone was not on my radar before now, but I’ll be paying attention to them for certain in the future. At best, this sophomore is a beautiful, compelling, and contemplative work of atmospheric metal; and otherwise, it is “only” good. Hopefully this new lineup sticks around for a bit—I’ll be looking forward to album three for sure.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self-release
Websites: mothercrone.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/mothercronemusic
Releases Worldwide: March 4th, 2026

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Angry Metal Guy 3d ago

Mallavora – What If Better Never Comes? Review By Lavender Larcenist

Accessibility in music isn’t something we fuck with here at AMG. It isn’t even really something metal fans in general care about. Many times, even at its most accessible, metal is a genre written off due to how abrasive it is. But what about physical and mental accessibility for fans and musicians? That is the mantra for Mallavora, a band that originally caught my attention in the promo pile with its bold description as an alt-metal group that fuses elements of R&B, Soul, and Middle Eastern trappings. Upon further inspection, they are pushing the frontlines of accessibility, making a point of playing shows in accessible spaces. Lead singer Jessica Douek suffers from fibromyalgia and is disabled herself, and guitarist Larry Sobieraj pulls from his own experience with chronic illness. If you think this slows the band down in any capacity, you would be wrong. Mallavora’s brand of Middle Eastern-infused alt-metal is dynamic, bombastic, and crushing. Their debut record, What If Better Never Comes? looks to answer the question: Is this a band that can back up its positive message with awesome music?

The album art for What If Better Never Comes? depicts a blurred figure staring up at an endless staircase, and I can only imagine how much more terrifying this image is for those with physical disabilities, but as someone who suffers from mental illness, the metaphor of this insurmountable staircase plays out across the album. This is no happy space filled with sappy messaging and generic positive affirmations. “Sick” sees Douek chanting “Sick” to the backing of grooving guitars and Sam Brownlow’s energetic and punchy drumming. The track is a combo of alt and groove metal enhanced by Douek’s incredible vocals. While “Sick” is an easy example of Mallavora’s worldview, the album is peppered with ideas that personify the concept behind the album title and accompanying art. “Hopeless” is a depressing ballad with emo trappings that showcases Doeuk’s absurd vocal range and amazing falsetto. “Break” sees her directly confronting her life in an existence that feels hostile, calling out, “I guess this world just wasn’t made for bodies quite like mine,” before the track leads into “Birth of a Sun,” where she drops the hammer with powerful low gutturals backed by a massive riff that could live on an Orbit Culture album.

What If Better Never Comes? by Mallavora

Mallavora deftly avoids the repetition typical of many metalcore adjacent outfits. Alt-metal is at the forefront, and What If Better Never Comes? Is stuffed with creative left turns and surprising genre switches. “Smile” flips on a dime from all-out fury to a bouncing groove, only to go back to brutal blasts and Douek hitting her lowest growl. The album’s closer, and title track, is a nine-minute epic with massive riffs, an R&B tangent, and gorgeous chanting inspired by Douek’s Jewish and Middle Eastern heritage. Douek’s vocal talent cannot be overstated, and her range and style act as a throughline in the album, helping keep the disparate and chaotic elements cohesive. The clean production still allows for Brownlow’s skin beating to come out clear and brutal, while Ellis James’ bass shines. There is a consistent atmosphere that keeps Mallavora sounding like a veteran band, not one that is only just releasing its debut.

What If Better Never Comes? is a powerhouse debut for a young band, but it isn’t all roses. “Waste” is an unfortunately named track, because it doesn’t really add anything to the album and has some of the weakest lyrics. It also feels the most formulaic of the tracks while never really opening up. The album is also oddly-paced. The variety on display is admirable, but at times it throws the album off course, such as dropping the ballad “Hopeless” too soon, derailing early momentum.

Mallavora has something special with its sound. Douek’s vocals are consistently amazing, and her range is incredible. They use this to the fullest, with an album that goes wherever it wants and is the better for it. The four-piece shines on all fronts. Brownlow’s drumming has a classic rock energy that is infectious, Sobieraj’s riffs are huge, and James’ bass is allowed to shine with unique passages and expansive production. What If Better Never Comes? is as powerful as its message without being trite or treating disability as something to be patronized. It is as complex, flawed, depressed, and hopeful as we all are while remaining an infectiously groovy, anthemic alt-metal album that swings for the fences and mostly hits it.

Rating: Very Good
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Church Road Records
Websites: mallavora.co.uk | Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: March 27th, 2026