Mother Of All - Global Parasitic Leviathan

Mother Of All is a metal band from Denmark who formed in 2013. “Global Parasitic Leviathan,” is their second full length album, in addition to having two EPs and a split album as well.

Their sound may be rooted in melodic death but it has a ton of thrash elements in it too and it is some of the most exciting thrash I've heard in some time. It doesn’t stop there, however, because I also hear elements of progressive and death metal in the mix too. 

The genres are completely infused with each other, a true melting spot of styles where it is impossible to hear where one begins and the other ends.  This leads to very compelling songs with insane energy.  All these styles and ideas the album represent are so seamlessly intertwined that it never comes off as meandering or spastic.  The songs are very riff based and are constantly pushing forward.  Vocally, Martin possess a searing barking shout that adds to the urgency of the songs

The album begins with “Cosmic Darkness,” and it’s melodic riffs that build up the tension.  Heavy rhythm guitar creeps up in the background and as it all culminates into a thrashtastic movement, the drums nail down these ideas and launch them outward.

The song rages hard with riff and after riff pummeling the song about.  After the halfway mark, melodic flourish takes over the guitars and the band settles into a groove before ending the song with a mild explosion.

The first song is a bombastic performance but “The Stars Already Faded,” offers a more moody, extreme take.  The opening moments tread the line between black and death metal.  Around the one minute mark, the song breaks and goes into a more thrash oriented direction. 

This song reveals another classy element in the album.  No matter what is going on, the songs never rest on their laurels and always inject some kind of catchy hook or higher tempo moment.  I never once got bored with this album, it just wouldn’t let its own style become stagnant.

The bass in “The Stars…” really pops, especially during the more extreme moments.  Near the end more intricate guitar playing arrives before the song ends in atmospheric riffs and fervent drumming. 

The opening riffs from “Debt Crush,” grow and change out from one initial idea, taking progressive cues and incorporating them into a thrash rhythm.  The break in the middle lets the bass breathe quite a bit for a stellar performance.  The melodic passage that comes afterwards feeds back naturally into the tempo ramping up where perfectly placed guitar solos, in turn, lead the song back into thrash metal waters. 

The final song is probably my favorite on the album because it takes every idea the album presents, puts them into a blender, and throws it out in a nearly seven minute epic. It is a good bet that if you like this song, you’ll be all over the others as well.  Overall, the song embraces the melodic side of their sound but incorporates moments of speedy thrash and a progressive mindset throughout.

Mother Of All has released a very impressive and dynamic album in “Global Parasitic Leviathan.”  It is an album that will appeal to a wide range of metalheads.  It offers something for those who want to head bang until their neck falls off and for those who prefer their metal a big on the melodic, intricate side.