Like the sea-going mammal from which the band takes its name, the music can seem both ponderous and graceful. And, like the manatee, it can occasionally make one feel one’s just been run over by a motorboat.

Although billed as label Motive Sound’s most vocal-heavy release to date, the most attention-grabbing thing about 'Untitled', the band’s first album, are the inexorable riffs, pummeling drums and grinding sonic textures on its five tracks. One can well imagine this album finding a home on the Hydrahead label. Manatees’ noisy, distorted riffs also reflect such predecessors as Neurosis (cited in the band’s bio) and performers like Old and Godflesh.
On some tracks – such as the opening song - the band sounds like an ultraheavy version of Tortoise. The other side of the coin is the band’s excellent handle on dynamics, quieting things down before the music gets too oppressively noisy; in doing so they evoke such Kranky performers as Labradford and Magnog.

It’s a very strong debut that should find a welcoming ear from both post-rockers and headbangers.



Track Listing