Band:	Mannhai
Album:	Hellroad Caravan
Style:	Stoner metal
Release date:	2006
A review by:	Jeff

01. Shellshock
02. Fuzzmaster
03. Spaceball
04. Dambuster
05. Better Hate Yesterday
06. Back In The Red
07. Mojo Runner
08. Overdaze
09. Rock In A Cradle (Detroit)
10. Hall Of Dead
11. Downer

Mannhai, it's a bit like the stoner version of Amorphis. Kasper Martenson was in the band before, Olli-Pekka "Oppu" Laine is their official bassist and now the singer is Mr Pasi Koskinen. But it's not because that Mannhai is, musically speaking, really far away of Amorphis that it's not a good release right? At the opposite, the fourth album of the Finnish band is a really nice release of Stoner Metal, and be sure that the fans of the style will really appreciate the release. This is for you fan of Stoner, no doubt!

When you talk about Stoner in general, we have two different styles. One is slow with a lot of Doom influences (a la Black Sabbath actually) and the other one is a bit more "Rock "N" Roll" catchy, with fast rhythms. Even if a song like "Hall Of Dead" is more into the "doom" side of Stoner, "Hellroad Caravan" is at the opposite a really catchy album. The majority of the songs are mid en fast tempo with a lot of nice guitars riffs. That's simple, I really believe that the performance of Pasi Koskinen helps a lot the album but for sure the different compositions of this CD are just masterpieces of Stoner music. Nothing is missing, the spirit is there and if you're a fan of this music or just like Rock, you'll, for sure, have the feeling that you must jump everywhere and headbang when you'll listen to the album. If you don't believe me, just listen to a song like "Fuzzmaster", with its great chorus, and you'll quickly understand that the guys of Mannahai understand what is catchy Stoner.

"Hellroad Caravan" doesn't avoid the clichés of the style; the name of the album or the title of a song like "Fuzzmaster" are two living proofs of this remark but does it really mater? The album is full of good things and even if it can sound like a really classic Stoner album the Finnish musicians are extremely good to play this kind of music. We're at the total opposite of Ajattara or Shape Of Despair but whatever, Pasi Koskinen is a really great singer and I understand now why the German label Dockyard 1 had to sign this really good combo.

Good production, good psychedelic cover great musicians and above all, nice compositions of Stoner, "Hellroad Caravan" is a must for all the ones who love this kind of music. After Spiritual Beggars and now with Mannhai, people will have to understand that the north of Europe is a bit like the B Side of the USA. Stoner is not only a music that comes from America now, "Hellroad Caravan" is the proof that European people know how to release great albums of this really particular musical and unfortunately underrated style.