UFOMAMMUT: Italian Psychedelic Doom Metal Trio Issues Title Track To Crookhead EP & "Vibrhate"
Photo By Francesca De Franceschi ManzoniItalian doom metal trio Ufomammut will drop their latest album this Halloween via the band’s own Supernatural Cat Records. The Crookhead EP features three songs including the title track. The song “Crookhead” will be revisited by Ufomammut later next year for their 25th anniversary as a group.
“‘Crookhead’ is the last song we wrote in chronological order. There are two different versions of this track: one is on the imminent EP, together with two unreleased songs, and the other one will be on our next album, the tenth of our career, scheduled for next year and celebrating 25 trips around the sun as Ufomammut. The choice of this ‘double version’ has been inspired by one of our favorite bands ever: Entombed, who released the Hollowman EP in 1993, displaying the instrumental song ‘Wolverine Blues,’ published later with legendary Lars-Göran Petrov vocals, on the outstanding same-named masterpiece album Wolverine Blues.”
The song “Crookhead” was released earlier this month. At nine minutes, “Crookhead” is a strange journey into the inner minds of Ufomammut. With spaced-out rhythms and mind-altering riffs. Before fans can wrap their heads around “Crookhead,” Ufomammut have already released their second single, “Vibrhate.” The video for the song debuted on Brooklyn Vegan which described the song as, “… more a concise track than the recently-released, nine-minute title track, and it finds the band’s mix of heavy, trippy, and melodic vibes in fine form.” The video exemplifies Ufomammut’s commitment to matching their sonic theatrics with visual art.
“‘Vibrhate’ is the second song taken from the brand new Crookhead EP. It’s a short song, which moves rapidly: an instant of madness, as described by the text, which makes us imagine finding ourselves transformed into fire. Our heart beats, kept by burning fingers. Time passes, simmering in our psyche, as we slowly separate from our bodies. And in an instant, it’s all over.”
Crookhead was recorded at Flat Scenario Studio in Italy by Lorenzo Stecconi. The album was mixed and mastered by Lorenzo Stecconi at Triple Sun. The album artwork was designed by Malleus Rock Art Lab who have contributed art for previous Ufomammut releases. In fact, band members Poia and Urlo are founding members of Malleus Rock Art Lab. The cover artwork will be numbered and silkscreened.
Ufomammut will release Crookhead both digitally and in a limited edition vinyl version of 500 copies. Of those copies, 200 will be on Marble Red Vinyl, 200 in Marble Gold Vinyl, and 100 in clear transparent vinyl. The limited edition vinyl be sold exclusively during their fall tour across Europe.
Founded in the late 1990s by Poia (guitars, effects) and Urlo (bass, vocals, effect, synths) who had both played previously for stoner rock band Judy Corda. Together they would combine sludge metal with psychedelic rock. The music of Ufomammut has the blistering riffs of heavy metal with the majestic symphony of acid rock and progressive. Lyrically the band deals in cosmic themes and utilizes futuristic imagery.
Crookhead is the first original recording from Ufomammut since 2022’s Fenice . The theme of the album was rebirth (fenice is Italian for phoenix). It was indeed a rebirth for Ufomammut. Fenice was the debut of new drummer Levre. More introspective than previous albums, Fenice was conceived as a single concept track divided into six facets. Always willing to experiment, Fenice saw Ufomammut becoming more innovative than ever. The 2023 Soungarden tribute album Superunknown Redux for Magnetic Eye Records, had Ufomammut contribute the cover "Let Me Drown” which was seen by many fans, both of Ufomammut and Soundgarden, as the best track on the album. Crookhead is set to continue to Ufomammut’s musically creative momentum.
