Unique and exciting rock
Mos Generator has released a fun, energetic album, Shadowlands that will surely please fans of the band and new listeners alike. Mos Generator is not new to the hard rock scene, but have also spent their existence somewhat below the radar, relying on Band Camp and Facebook for much of their promotion. This, however, adds to the band’s appeal, as their music remains authentic and entertaining throughout their lengthy existence. Shadowlands is a great addition to Mos Generator’s catalog, featuring fantastic and eclectic songs like “Drowning In Your Loving Cup” and “The Blasting Concept” that each adds to the album in their own unique ways.
The album begins with the title song, “Shadowlands,” and the guitar riff that leads into the song indicates immediately what a great addition to the album it is. The vocals are very clear while remaining within the genre, and the lyrics signal a rather apocalyptic view of the world at hand, while also indicating a struggle within a personal relationship. “I’ll tell you what I’m seeing here in the darkness/ Shadows of the specters destroying the world/ Well the words are hiding somewhere deep inside you/ Tell me what you’re thinking/ I really got to know.” Mos Generator has some impressive lyrics, and this is just one example of that so far. The next song on Shadowlands is “The Destroyer,” which starts off with some distorted instrumentals. It’s a rougher song, and it doesn’t flow as well as the previous, but it’s still a fun song to listen to, with a great guitar riff between verses.
Some other standout songs on the album are “Stolen Ages” and “Gamma Hyde.” “Stolen Ages” has a guitar riff that surely others will try and imitate for years to come. It’s a long song, coming in at 7:27, but its length along with the vocals give it a retro feeling. The fact that the majority of the song is instrumentals without vocals, it really emphasizes the few lyrics in the song, in particular, the first line of the chorus, “these days are numbered.” Mos Generator shows again how they are at writing catchy lyrics with darker meaning. “Gamma Hyde” is a very different song, much like “The Destroyer” in that the lyrics and beat aren’t really in sync, but they still work together.
Shadowlands ends with “The Wild & Gentle Dogs,” the only song on the album with acoustic guitar, making it stand out on first glance, but as the song progresses and the electric guitar comes in, the song finds its place perfectly. Arguably the best song on the album, it’s another song that has some retro elements with the length and the way the sound of it develops and progresses. The only lyrics come in at the beginning. “The wild and the gentle dogs/ Die alone/ die alone/ And when the world becomes your master/ You say who/ I say you.” The lyrics are strange, but not out of place with the negative imagery throughout the album, and “The Wild & Gentle Dogs” truly is the perfect way to finish the album. Mos Generator is on tour right now, and Shadowlands is available for purchase now.
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