Album review: MWWB – The Harvest

Harvest typically comes at the end of a season, but here it represents a rebirth for Welsh wonders Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard. They’ve officially shortened their name to the less comedic MWWB for starters, as well as dispensing entirely with their tradition of using their native tongue for album and track titles. Moreover, while their reputation as prime purveyors of psychedelic doom has long been well established, this record takes their creativity to new heights with its ambitious structure, inserting spacey, synth-led pieces between lengthier, heavy-riffing songs to deliver a sprawling sci-fi epic.

On a personal level, its much-delayed unveiling marks a note of positivity after a truly hellish year. Guitarist Paul Michael Davies suffered a stroke after contracting COVID in early 2021 and spent months at death’s door; while his rehabilitation remains ongoing, his gradual recovery has progressed sufficiently for the release of this album, recorded in 2020, to feel like a tribute to his perseverance.

If the juxtaposition of subterranean sludge chug with singer Jessica Ball’s ethereal vocals no longer feels like a bolt from the blue, first contact with The Harvest’s grandiose title-track provides ample evidence that both key elements are on fine form here. Logic Bomb aligns forceful momentum with swathes of sensuality, while Strontium will appeal to both trad doom devotees and post-metal mavens. Elsewhere, interstitial pieces like Betrayal and Let’s Send These Bastards Whence They Came bring forth John Carpenter-style synths to enhance the album’s cosmic credentials, and Moon Rise closes proceedings by stripping things back to shimmering shoegaze.

Much has changed since the last time MWWB released a record, but their status as one of the UK’s most enthralling bands remains wonderfully constant.

Verdict: 4/5

For fans of: Elder, Yob, Hawkwind

The Harvest is released on March 25 via New Heavy Sounds