MONDO CADA (s/t) MCD
Unfortunately, MONDO CADA's debut is also their swansong, and that's a real shame because what this four English guys are doing here is really impressive. Calculon Records may have thought something like that and took the opportunity to release this explosive recordings in 2009. The music of MONDO CADA is like a restless multi-faced monster that will reveal a new face every time. 'Glass Shard' has a lot of the raw energy of later Black Flag during their 'Damaged' phase, while 'Black Box Recordings' has more in common with the acoustic folk blues of Led Zeppelin. Generally speaking, MONDO CADA seems to have a special liking for acoustic guitars (or perhaps Led Zeppelin?), because 'Locusts II' is another instrumental track that is similar in style.
The first thing you notice about 'The Creature Was' is the strong Unsane influence, but MONDO CADA is no copy. 'This Disease' isn't denying its sharp Stooges edge, and belongs to one of my favourite songs here. It's packed full with energy, but almost each song is characterized by the fact that the band unfurls a maximum of power. Just listen to 'The Drag', one of the heaviest songs here. There's a simmering tension under the surface that will be hold by the band in a very clever way. This means that they release more energy at the crucial moment, and it works perfectly. It would have been interesting to listen to a complete album of MONDO CADA, but since that's probably not going to happen, pressing the repeat button is the best thing I can do.
(KK)