Ogre - Last Neanderthal

Minotauro Records is a small, independent record label based in Pavia, Italy that specializes in the heavy and obscure. This CD is housed in a Japanese style mini LP papersleeve package, made to look like a miniature vinyl LP record sleeve, complete with a Japanese style OBI spine card. The high level of production of our CD packaging is made to appeal to audiophiles and collectors. Our CDs are slightly higher in price, but once you have it in your hands you'll understand why! About the band: With a name like Ogre, you'd be correct in assuming you won't be listening to some Cali-sun funk metal band. Indeed, this 3 piece stem from the right side of the country, Portland, Maine, where the weather, like Ogre's music, is a bit gloomier. 'The Last Neanderthal' is their 4th album since they formed some 15 years ago and they state their influences range from doomy '70s prog, through to old and new. After the intro track 'Shadow Earth', 'Nine Princes In Amber' starts things off proper. And yes they do sound very Sabbath-y but with a bit more a traditional '70s hard rock 'n' roll sound. 'Bad Trip' carries on in the much the same vein. In places, the vocals on this do remind a little of early Soundgarden era Chris Cornell! Next track 'Son Of Sisyphus has the prog influence shining through though, even down to the almost BigElf sounding vocals! As with the whole album, the sound is clear and whilst sounding '70s, it comes across as quite modern at the same time. Then they offer 'Soulless Woman', a cover originally done by a different band called Ogre (!). It's actually got a quite groovy '70s feel to it. The Sabbath sound returns on 'Warpath', especially with the very Ozzy-vocals. 'White Plume Mountain' is a bit of an interlude (something the boys from Brum always used to do well), you could imagine listening to it in your rocking chair, sipping on a cold one as you gaze over the lovely mountain view from your porch! Obviously we're not talking Aston now!! 'The Hermit' brings things to a close and I swear, to these ears at least, the bass sounds a little bit like Manowar. Obviously no 'Black Arrows' but there's just a hint of that Joey tone! The song itself reminds you of Sabbath mixed in with some mellower bits they always used to put in. Ogre are far from copyists, they've just taken an influence from one of the greatest heavy metal bands and added some other bits and their own touches to it and done it well. 'The Last Neanderthal' is a good album, well worth a listen, for all you doomsters out there.