Mugstar "Magnetic Seasons"

Country: UK
Genre(s): Instrumental Psychedelic, Krautrock, Space Rock
Label: Rock Action Records
Format: CD, vinyl, digital
Release date: February 26, 2016 (digital), March 4, 2016 (CD, vinyl)
Tracklist: 
1. Unearth (6:14)
2. Flemish Weave (6.04)
3. Time Machine (5:32)
4. Remember The Breathing (15:31)
5. La Vallee (4:17)
6. Magnetic Seasons (5:12)
7. Regency Blues (8:59)
8. Sky West And Croocked (5:30)
9. Ascension Island (17:25)

Total time: 74:44

Line-up: 
Pete Smyth - guitar, keyboards
Neil Murphy - guitar
Jason Stoll - bass
Steve Ashton - drums

Review/Samples: 

The opener and very much the most Mugstar sounding track of Magnetic Seasons. This starts the album with a sequence of delayed reverb guitar, eerily atmospheric. Then distorted bass lines, pounding drums and ritualistic chanting kick in. This leads on to Sabbath-style riffage before jolting into stabs - briefly evoking Zeppelin and Sabbath once again – at this point the track shifts gears one more time. Breaking the pace down as guitars work their way across the reconfigured rhythms to the fade.

Stream and read track-by-track review by Christian Eede at thequietus.com

Links:
Web page
Facebook
Progarchives

Mugstar "Axis"

Country: UK
Sub Genre: Instrumental, Krautrock, Psychedelic, Space Rock
Label: Agitated Records
Format: CD, digital, vinyl
Release date: October 2012
Tracklist: 

1. Black Fountain 06:58
2. Hollow Ox 03:03
3. Tangerina 05:11
4. In Earth 04:37
5. Axis Modulator 05:29
6. Upturnsidedown 05:01
7. Vehicles of Spain 05:39

Line-up: 
Pete Smyth - guitar, keyboards
Neil Murphy - guitar
Jason Stoll - bass
Steve Ashton - drums

Description/Reviews: 

As evidenced by Axis – the band's fifth album – Mugstar are less inclined to stretch out their grooves over extended periods of time and space as they are to offer more compact bursts of kaleidoscopic noise without sacrificing any notions of melody. Crucially, for an instrumental band, Mugstar retain the ability to maintain interest throughout thanks to a succession of hard-hitting riffs, insistent beats and a constant sense of drama that allows the listener to form a series of personalised images as viewed through the mind's eye.

 Read the full review by Julian Marszalek at thequietus.com

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

Links:
Web page
Facebook
ProgArchives