In August, UK band Mellor released their first single of 2022 titled ‘Gargoyle Groove’. The record would later be followed by two more, namely ‘Meet Me By The Ocean’ and ‘Battle Hardened’. Together, these three singles would form the cookie-crumb trail leading to the release of their new album Problematic Passions, which just made its debut under Triple B Records.
Read our interview with Mellor here
The title of the project sums up its concept, which likely emerged of its own accord somewhere during the album-making process. The 12-track LP engages with themes of dependency and personal struggle, and through it, the band shows listeners different perspectives on the bad habits and self-defeating behaviours that people indulge in. “It has a recurring theme,” says the band. “A problematic passion could be anything from drugs and stealing to manipulation and money troubles”.
Touching on dark, often taboo subject matter, each track is another glance at an often-ignored side of life. Let’s review a few of them:
Opening the project, the record ‘Could If I Would’ leads the charge. Setting the tone for what is to come, it is a cacophony of relentless drumming and thrashing guitar. The track is an unpolished gem, yet ironically this is what makes it shine.
Stream / Download: Mellor – Problematic Passions LP
What initially comes off as a pessimistic track, ‘Vermin’ is, in fact, just the opposite. Raw, it tells the story of a tormented character who has lost herself in misery. With the track, the band shows that they are sensitive to the all-too-human motivations behind making bad choices and that the truth, though tragic, is worth acknowledging.
A spacious guitar introduces ‘Call It Off’. Dissonant notes establish a tension that evokes feelings of uneasiness comparable to anxiety or perhaps even desperation. With the end of the song, comes the end of a project that conveys truths about life, love, and desire at a blistering fever pitch. It rocks.
Listen to Mellor’s album Problematic Passions below:
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Image credit: Alex Wickenden
