Mother of God

Anthropos (Small Stone)

Like many Swedish hard rock acts, Mother of God clearly loves its Kyuss records. Between the melodic groove-grunge of opener “230” and guitarist Daniel Nygren’s soulful wail, the debt’s paid. That said, MoG reaches deeper into its stash than its forebears ever did, adding a bluesy boogie to the psychedelic stomp. “To Live” greases its wheels, while “Something From Below” heads for inner space and “Adrift” sways with the desert wind. “Windows” shifts locale from the Cali desert to the Pacific Northwest, evoking an imagined mind meld between Soundgarden and Alice in Chains. Nothing even whispers originality here, but Anthropos satisfies heavy, yesteryear cravings. ***

This article appears in February 8 • 2013.

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Michael Toland started writing about music in 1988 on the Gulf Coast, moved to Austin in early 1991, and has inflicted bylines upon the corporeal and digital pages of Pop Culture Press, The Big Takeover, Blurt, Amplifier, Austin.citysearch, the Austin American Statesman, Goldmine, Sleazegrinder, Rock & Roll Globe, High Bias, FHT Music Notes, and, since 2011, The Austin Chronicle.