Originality is great but not totally necessary. DEF LEPPARD one-upped KROKUS by releasing an album of rehashed AC/DC riffs with 'High And Dry' in 1981 (but what a great rehash it was!) In the 80s, many bands forged their careers out of rewriting AC/DC, PRIEST and MAIDEN songs. Up until then however, artists usually left the SABBATH up to SABBATH. There were a few underground bands doing it,but it was not really out there. It wasn't until the late 80s or early 90s that bands like SOUNDGARDEN starting wearing their SABS tendencies on their sleeves. Shit, SLEEP wore it like a badge of honor. 'Sleep's Holy Mountain' was the first album I heard that was a blatant SABBATH rip off...and I loved it. After that bands like CATHEDRAL popped up and many people began to discover classics like ST VITUS. A whole Sabbath revival was blooming. It is a revival that is still alive and well and is an art form in itself.

"Fuck Them All But Six" by Maryland/DC area's BLACK MANTA is another release in a long line of heavy, Sabbed-out slabs of doom rock. Nothing original, but that's OK. It doesn't have to be right? Well, in this case it would have helped, because this EP really does not bring much else to the table other than "doom for doom's sake." There is nothing really interesting here, nothing that pulls me in. The riffs are OK, but nothing special. As a matter of fact the guitar is almost indistinguishable from the bass, which makes the whole recording not only fuzzed out, but incredibly muddy. Tracks 1 and 7 are just a phased out fuzzy guitar intros and outros. It isn't until track 5 "Space Ape" that I start slightly rocking my head back and forth. By then there is only one full song left.

The last real song on the EP"Apocalyptic Visions" is probably the best track. The riff sounds more like something from SOUNDGARDEN's 'Louder Than Love' album. So I guess it sounds like something that sounds like you know what. Probably the worst part about this disc however is the lifeless vocals of singer Skull. Is that perhaps a leftover D&D name from childhood that stuck? Anyway, this guy is not terrible by any means. He just sort of rambles on through out the whole thing. Sort of sings, sort of yells but nothing very passionate and his voice is just kind of bland. The lyrics are kind of lame, too. " ...like the days of yore, same ole song like the one before...", or " Fuck them all but six because they are carrying your coffin...". Well if you're dead, who gives a fuck and who the hell uses the word 'yore'? Skull kind of reminds me of that guy who has been hanging around the local music scene forever. You've seen him at a million shows, and he always tells you after you have had one too many, "Hey man, we should jam sometime. Or maybe get a band together!" and you finally give him a chance because your tired of hearing about it.

One thing of note is that BLACK MANTA features veteran drummer Joe Hasselvander of PENTAGRAM and RAVEN (he replaced Rob 'Wacko' Hunter in '88) which is another reason I was surprised this EP wasn't better. However, there is hope, because I think these guys just need to hone their craft more and tighten up their sound. If they take a few more chances and get a little more creative I see potential. If not then "Fuck them all...".

- Peters

OFFICIAL SITE: myspace.com/blackmantarules

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