Mangrenade

Ride With The Devil blog is a very good blog that you should be following. I do and I’ve discovered many bands through them. Mangrenade is the latest discovery. I was more drawn to check the band out by the artwork than by what they wrote (which I did read, well worth it). I was pleasant;y surprised by these tunes. They kinda have a Queens of the Stone Age meets an alternative punk-ish sound. It’s pretty damn good. It’s not going to win a Grammy anytime soon but still pretty good for a smart music fan to get into. - The Soda Shop

There are many trends in music these days. If you turn on the radio you can hear what the ‘industry’ deems as what people want, or you could listen to music with no rules. Mangrenade is a great band to begin with. Hailing from Cincinnati Ohio, this self-described dirty rock and roll band has a sound that is almost perfectly balanced between 1970 and just about anything that Jack White creates. Their music knows no boundaries, lives by no rules, and swings to their own style of swag. Their new album More Than a Handful will give you a taste of what real rock and roll is all about.


“That Cali Hipster Trolled Me” is the first track that takes aim at the hipster with their rolling guitar riffs and quirky vocals. They are just dark enough not to scare too many people off yet turn many more on. The riffs in the song will be stuck in your head all day. “Where Swagger Turns to Stagger” is a song that will be relatable to all who partake in the fine art of overindulging of alcohol. Lord knows we’ve all experienced these nights at least once in our lifetime. If not, well, listen to this song and reap the benefits of such a night with the picture that it paints for you. The manic guitar solo alone could explain the whole night without any lyrics.

“Deep Cut” once again displays the musicianship of this bands ability to create memorable riffs and melodies while being the dirty rock band that they are. “You Know” rounds off the album with a diverse vocal attraction than the previous tracks. This is the perfect track to end the album that will leave you craving more.

Mangrenade has created a sound that is both familiar and new all in one. Their gritty guitars and grittier vocals come together to bring you an energy that only they could create. More Than A Handful runs through a very diverse cycle of memorable riffs, quirky vocals and excellent musicianship. This is one band that you probably should not only listen/buy their album but you should also consider seeing in a live setting.

4 out of 5 Stars! - Axes Leftovers blog

This one kinda took me by surprise if I'm totally honest. Not that that's a bad thing, I just didn't expect to dig the particular brand of rock n roll that was on the cards here. I'll admit, it didn't really grab me at first, and it did take a couple of listens for it to really sink in, but goddammit, if the opening to Deep Cut doesn't get your feet involuntarily stomping along then you must be... Ha!... Oscar Pistoius.
No, but really, if you do own a pair of feet (or even just the one), then Mangrenade will certainly get them moving. Tapping into a tone that falls somewhere between 60's rock and roll and modern day southern rock the Ohio trio twist and turn so much it almost defies a one true genre. Again, not at all a bad thing, providing you do right, and for the best part the guys do. There's a couple of moments that, for want of a better word, confuse me. But I think thats more down to my own prejudice than anything else really. If you fancy a bit of a break from the stoner, doom or sludge side of life but still feel like something with a bit of groove then give these chaps a go. I think you mite just be pleasantly surprised. - Ride With The Devil Music Blog

This one kinda took me by surprise if I'm totally honest. Not that that's a bad thing, I just didn't expect to dig the particular brand of rock n roll that was on the cards here. I'll admit, it didn't really grab me at first, and it did take a couple of listens for it to really sink in, but goddammit, if the opening to Deep Cut doesn't get your feet involuntarily stomping along then you must be... Ha!... Oscar Pistoius.
No, but really, if you do own a pair of feet (or even just the one), then Mangrenade will certainly get them moving. Tapping into a tone that falls somewhere between 60's rock and roll and modern day southern rock the Ohio trio twist and turn so much it almost defies a one true genre. Again, not at all a bad thing, providing you do right, and for the best part the guys do. There's a couple of moments that, for want of a better word, confuse me. But I think thats more down to my own prejudice than anything else really. If you fancy a bit of a break from the stoner, doom or sludge side of life but still feel like something with a bit of groove then give these chaps a go. I think you mite just be pleasantly surprised. - Ride With The Devil Music Blog

There’s something to be said about swagger. No, I’m not talking about hip hop’s swagga or the asinine invention of swag. I’m talking true swagger: walking into a bar and having people wonder if you’re already drunk or not. Or playing music so loud that it hurts normal peoples’ ears, but makes the old, leather jacket wearing, show warriors turn around and take notice. It’s the ability to walk a fine line between practiced, planned, intensity and balls to the wall insanity. Nowadays, few bands have it. Everything is overproduced, overprocessed, and underwhelming. And it is allthese things that Cincinnati’s Mangrenade stick a drunken middle finger up to.

Founded only a short months ago (June of 2012 to be exact) by longtime friends guitarist/vocalist Nick Thieme and bassist/vocalist Ben Morgan, Mangrenade is an amalgamation of old projects, shared influences, and an inability to write songs that sound like said influences. Forging their friendship on connections to Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal, and other Desert Rock staples, the two began Mangrenade when they became unsatisfied with continuing old projects. They decided to start writing and swapping parts for a new band. Instead of trying to conform to preexisting sounds, Thieme said that he and Morgan “wanted to play music that we’re naturally like.”

Once Morgan moved back home, the search for a drummer began. Thieme found one in the hive of musical scum and villainy…. Craigslist. But recruiting Erik Olsen to the skins worked out well from the get-go. Thieme contacted Olsen based on his influences (if you guessed Queens of the Stone Age and Eagles of Death Metal, thanks for paying attention), and they agreed to meet and jam. Olsen won over the guitarist by saying, “Wow, this is a long way to drive to get raped off Craigslist.”

Olsen’s playing was just icing on the cake. Shortly thereafter, the three got a chance to play together and the ensemble clicked from the first practice. Morgan said, “The first rehearsal actually sounded pretty good. Next thing we know, we’re playing the Madison Theater, we’re playing Mainstay with Dr. Bombay. We aren’t struggling and taking VFW shows or basement parties.”

Mangrenade’s quick rise to “fame” isn’t lost on the boys. Olsen puts it plainly, “We feel like we’ve come a really long way in a short amount of time.”

This is due in no small part to the band’s ability to fuse elements from many genres into a sound that can only defined as Mangrenade. The Desert Rock sound is a major factor, but you’ll also hear flecks of Indie, Post Hardcore, and many others. The band tries to infuse their influences to their sound, but somewhere between ears to hand; things get twisted. Morgan explained, “We tried to write something that sounds like an influence and it ends up sounding like Mangrenade.”

This bad translation actually works in the band’s favor. “The key is to not try, just let it happen. None of us is forcing it; we just do what feels good,” Morgan explains. Thieme adds, “The second it feels like I have to force it, I stop. I’ll walk away.”

This lo-fi fusion of sounds carries to the band’s recordings and live show. What you see and hear is what you get. There’s not trickery involved; unless you consider vast amounts of PBR consumption to be magical. There are fuckups, but no one really cares. With a show as visceral as Mangrenade’s, a dropped note or a missed cue is far from the end of the world.

Mangrenade plans to keep that spirit alive in their releases. The band intend on releasing EP’s in a fast and furious fashion, constantly giving their fans new music, as well as keeping themselves on their A game. Thieme explains, “When you do an EP, you put yourself in a corner where you’ve got 4 songs to get it right. If one song’s bad, 25 percent of your album sucks. It ups the quality control.” Olsen added, “We are not making any compromises with the songs we’re putting on this EP.”

He’s right; the four tracks don’t have one stinker on them. Mangrenade were able to put their live show energy onto a disk, making sure the recordings matched what’s played onstage.

It’s that mindset that makes Cincy music fans sit up and take notice of a band that’s only been around for little over half a year. What you see is what you get. Thieme said, “That’s our war cry; we want to keep it honest.” They don’t pretend to be anything more or less than what they are. Mangrenade comes in, rocks the house, drinks too much booze, and gets out. And they do it with a swagger all their own.

Or as Morgan put it, “If you’re going to do the wrong thing anyways, you might as well have a soundtrack.” - Nick Grever @ Cin City Underground Pulse