The Mormones

Dra Til Hælvete (TMR025)

It´s been around five years since the Mormones debut 7", A Hard Rock Trip Through A Far Out Tunnel (Feedback Underground records), hit us smack dab right in the middle! Glorious fucked up rockers like Backseat Luv and Mescaline Motherfucker sounded like a noisier and totally freaked out, fucked up Misfits. They became my favourite duo, only they sounded like a five-piece band! Now, five years later, they´re still bashing it out like no other duo can do it after them. And as two-piece bands have been on a hype for the last years, there´s definitely a place for the Mormone boys on star heaven. They certainly proved that on their first full-length, Guide To Good And Evil, released on Trust Me records in 2003. See review somewhere else on this site. Dra Til Hælvette - I can´t see why they picked a norwegian title for the album, but in english: Go To Hell (or Fuck Off) - starts off like a natural progression from where GTGAE left off. I have no idea what most of the songs are about, there´s some beautiful psyched out lyrics here (`I went down to the river, to find myself dead´), can´t spot any love songs, a little hate perhaps (`I hate my girl´), still the songs are like an upper hook from Popeye! I can do without the Motorpsycho flirtation in A Far Out Trip Through A Hard Rock Tunnel. Maybe that´s  not their intention, but I remember a shitty band from Lillehammer (home of the Mormones), I think was called Mobious or something, who was kinda like Motorpsycho. And if my memory ain´t way too off - one or both Mormones were in that band. Please correct me, anyone! Maybe my highlight of the the record, is the awesome version of Creedence Clearwater Revivals´ Pagan Baby. The CCR original is a rock´n roll classic in my book, as well as the Pendulum album. And the Mormones have really captured the raw r & b feeling of it, with some most impressive vocals by one Elyse Steinman (don´t know who it is! Brother of Jim?? The first name sounds like a girls name!). As for the live shows, it´s an absolute feeling of satisfaction to watch these two guys on stage. Drummer Simen is kinda like Animal from Muppet Show, only a little bent forward over a very small drum kit. Bassist Morten sounds like Lemmy of Motörhead - "Lemmy doesn´t play bass, he plays rhythm guitar" - according to Philthy Animal Taylor of Motörhead. He can add that comment to Morten Mormone as well! Other faves include The Nixon Dance Of The Dead, Swampie, and the sensational rockin´ Spice Jar - brilliant!!

PS: Maybe I´ve made an impression that the Mormones is my favourite two-piece band - I know that´s what I said. But it´s not so. Number of members got nothing to do with it, the Mormones are one of the best bands to come out of Scandinavia!

www.mormones.net
www.trustmerecords.com

30. march, 2005
**Ringo Kid**