Puta Volcano – 'AMMA': An album that is a source of life

The heavy sound of this music is now a pleasant reality for all of us who love it. One of the latest additions to this musical journey is the newest record by Puta Volcano, titled 'AMMA'. The album is clear proof that the band keeps evolving in the best possible way and keeps pushing its sound forward.

A word that means a lot

Holding the record in my hands, I can't help but comment on the gorgeous colour combination. White, gold and black. All colours that speak of royal origins. They carry at once a simplicity and an aristocratic air. My eyes fall on the black lettering. The title of the record 'AMMA'. The interest only grows!

To begin with, the word is a palindrome (it can be read both from start to finish and backwards). It's also of Asian origin. However, its meaning varies from region to region. In some Asian languages we find it meaning mother. In others, water. Taking it a step further, we could say that the word is a source of life.

A shift away from Desert Rock

The Puta Volcano are a band that operate in Desert / Alternative Hard Rock sounds. Although their first two albums (‘Harmony of Spheres' and 'The Sun') was a bit closer to stoner sounds, on the 'AMMA’ many new elements can be observed. The band wants to give a new identity to its music.

Listening to the compositions, I notice that the complexity is quite a bit greater. We also get a lot of progressive elements. All these things change quite a lot the sound the band had in the past.

Change with success

The change is definitely bold! I'd say though that it's also extremely successful (at least to my own ears). Broadly speaking, this is an album with a solid structure. The production is very meticulous and the compositions are extremely interesting. 

The new elements that the band introduces into its sound clearly make it stray from the traditional principles of heavy rock (desert/stoner). In the end, ‘AMMA’ ends up being an album that's melodic and 'friendly', even to listeners from different musical genres. At the same time, Puta Volcano they maintain their cohesion and their style.

About the music

With ‘AMMA’, Puta Volcano showcase clear influences from the 90s sound. But they also bring in plenty of elements from later genres. The sound is very fresh. The most important trait of Puta's music is its power. This isn't calm music. It stirs up turbulence, and whatever feelings that turbulence gives birth to.

Let's start, as always, with the rhythm section of the tracks, specifically drums and bass. On drums, Stefanos (Stefanos Stefanidis) does an excellent job. He keeps up complex rhythms. While at first glance the rhythms seem simple, it doesn't take long to realize they're constantly shifting.

Beats get added and taken away, while there are sudden bursts. You could say the drums carry a lot of progressive elements, and at the same time the production brings them out beautifully. The groove they deliver is one of a kind.

On bass we have Δημήτρη (Δημήτρης Μπούκας). The bass is very dynamic. In the mix it has a very clear place and gives the tracks a tremendous amount of body. Given that the drums have come forward a lot in the track, the bass couldn't very well play a backstage role either. Besides, in a lineup with only one guitar, it couldn't not step up.

Besides, we couldn't have progressive elements in the drums without the bass following the same pattern.

Guitar and Vocals

The Alexandros (Alexandros Papathanasiou) is the sole guitarist of Puta Volcano. But he's more than enough. In fact, he's a wizard of sound. Flawless transitions from riffs to rhythm parts and back again. At no point do you feel there'd be room for a second guitar. His range of sounds is wide. From atmospheric, soft, repeating riffs, to dynamic, fuzzy rhythm parts.

Wrapping up the mention of the members, we have Anna Papathanasiou. The frontwoman of the band is the point of reference. She's surrounded by excellent musicians, naturally. Usually, vocalists in bands try to stand out and take center stage. So, quite often, you notice a bit of a gap between the instruments and the singer. That's not the case with Puta Volcano. Anna handles the low and mid frequencies superbly. When she goes up in pitch, she does it with a very distinctive rasp. Yet throughout, she manages to blend in beautifully with the rest of the instruments, even though she's the band's 'spearhead'. This way, the band reacts as a single unit.

On the subject matter

Subject-wise, 'AMMA' comes across as a deeply personal, lived-in record. The events referenced have to do with choices. With everyday challenges and decisions that have to be made. In that sense it's remarkably grounded, even though many of the titles reference mythology.

Editor's Choice: Kassandra's Gift

I didn't want to pick 'Black Box', which was the song the band promoted more than any other. Sure, there are plenty of tracks that caught my interest for many different reasons (like 'Primitive Data', 'Apnea’ and the ‘Space Blanket’). But I chose, the ‘Kassandra’s Gift’ both for its music, and for a more personal reason.

The Puta Volcano took part in the program of the Onassis Foundation Live Concerts. This particular track had been chosen to close that concert. So, after a whole hour of thoroughly enjoyable music (from my couch!), the track left me with the best of impressions.

Musically, the track is the longest one on the album. It's a wonderful blend of a gentle intro, which, accompanied by the vocals, builds up into a very dynamic crescendo. The reference to Cassandra is the extra little touch. In my opinion, it's a track in which the band shows off their wide range of talents. Enjoy it!

That leads the way
And makes the moments fall
Like dirt from open hands

Wishing you had friends like mine
That would fight the raging ocean
Just to keep my body floating
Give their lives so I can greet dawn

Credits

The album bears the signature of Iota5 Records.

In conclusion

The Puta Volcano are rock. They look rock, they play rock, they breathe rock. Volcanic rock to be precise, as the name they didn't struggle too hard to settle on suggests. What could that mean? An explosive sound full of energy and spontaneity, like the sound they aim to produce live, combined with desert and psychedelic elements.

But with 'AMMA', the band attempts to make a transition from desert rock elements towards more cerebral territory. Now, what comes to mind are Tool (without, of course, the grunge influences that Puta Volcanohave, which remain unaltered).

‘AMMA’ shows the band's evolution and reaps all those seeds that Puta Volcano sowed on “Harmony of Spheres”. The key thing is that the band likes to evolve. They're not content with the safety their laurels provide, since all those elements that set them apart have also been beneficially reshaped by the additions. So all that's left is to see the next step, which we're waiting for with great impatience.