Meltem - Mare Nostrum

Meltem is a psychedelic doom metal band from Spain who formed in 2019.  They released their first demo in 2022.  Just a couple years later and they have graced us with a staggering mind trip in the form of a full-length musical opus called “Mare Nostrum.” 

“Mare Nostrum,” is an album that has a huge sound that is filled to the brim with dynamics and many layers.  The overall sound of the album is definitely rooted in both 70’s rock and stoner doom but it has a very healthy dose of Middle Eastern music to it as well.  

If the combinations of all those elements and styles sound like it might be unique and adventurous, that’s because it is.  The atmosphere has a warm, fluid sound that covers the music like a gentle breeze.  With that being said, it has more than enough moments of pure raw aggressive heaviness that reveals a certain danger inside the many details and intricacies of their music. 

Consisting of four tracks and a runtime of 41 minutes or so, the album is just the right length to offer many reasons to come back and explore this expansive world the band has built.  

The album opens with “Tretze,” and at 12 minutes in length, it is a bold statement from the opening seconds to the last moments.  Immediately, massive distorted riffs fill the sound—I review with headphones on and the song fills my head up within about four seconds.  The drums hit hard with a robust sound that still manages to compliment rather than overpower.  

A Mediterranean solo twists its way through the dense doom, creating an opening moment for the strong, clean vocals to make their presence known.  As the song indicates, Meltem is a band that makes every element work for the song as a whole.  Every note, every instrument, every surprising flavor, all has a purpose and builds towards a special monolith.

Around the five minute mark, the bass leads the band on a journey through psychedelic fields, a fever dream amongst the gravestones.  It’s trippy as hell and highly enjoyable—at this point, I was so entranced by the music that I truly felt I was along for a journey into the unknown.  I don’t do drugs but if I did, this song might be the best thing ever.  The following movement is much heavier, the vocals a little more abrasive.  The band lives and thrives on their ability to combine sonic intensity with dreaming like harmonies.  

The next song is the instrumental “Curcuna,” and it features even more of a focus on their eastern influences.  I don’t know much about instruments outside of rock/metal but whatever they are using here creates a smokey, hazey tone that adds an air of mystery to their contagious approach.  

At this point it is obvious the album as a whole flows straight through as a large, captivating piece that takes the listener on a journey of myriad flavors and musical viewpoints.  If this song isn’t hypnotic then I don’t know what is.  The bass drops around the halfway mark before the band dials up the doom.  Like the crest of waves against the shore, the riffs crash back and forth while the drums and bass go for broke.  Absolutely stunning!

“Mandragora,” has an excellent build up, almost cinematic in its approach.  The drums are atmospheric, and that is a hard instrument to generate such a sound, as they roll the song along to it’s breaking point around the two minute mark.  Hard, sludge infused doom hits like a ton of bricks at this point, making it all the more impressive this is the same band that just crafted the instrumental from earlier.  

But true to the band’s vision, they bring their brand of music in all flavors…and the flavor of this song is punishing for the four minutes.  A wonderful clean piece hits next, the back bone held up by melodic bass. A couple minutes later the band returns to crush skulls once more.  

The vocals kick in around the 9 minute mark and they add a whole new dimension to the song. It’s arcane, a little ancient and unknown with a little hint of caution behind the scenes. 

The final track is another instrumental called “Oasi,” and this one doesn’t use distortion to get its point across.  What it lacks in doom riffs, it makes up for in layers of interwoven tapestries that make it just as heavy as anything else on the album in its own way.  

With “Mare Nostrum,” Meltem has crafted an interesting debut that will appeal to a large audience, even those who normally shy away from doom.  It has more than enough variety and craft songwriting to impress even the most cynical of music lovers.