Sea of Snakes Releases "Magmantus" EP: A Concentrated Shot of Modern Doom Straight to the Heart
LA-based stoner/doom band Sea of Snakes has been releasing music since about 2021. After a few lineup changes that have only strengthened the band's resolve, Sea of Snakes' signature sound has evolved into what I'd call a near perfect tone that's composed of as much sinister doom as it is the melody and murk of metal-forward grunge.
The band released their debut full-length album "The Serpent and the Lamb" in 2022 after welcoming vocalist Jason Busiek into the fold, who quickly grabbed the attention of the heavy underground with his powerful, Layne-Stayley-esque voice. Sea of Snakes followed up with their highly anticipated sophomore release "Bow to No One" in 2024. A memorable album featuring noticeably smoother production, this album managed to be both the heaviest and most expressive yet for the group as they poured their blood, sweat, and tears into their biggest strengths. Now, the band is back with Magmantus (self-released on April 2, 2026), a five-track EP that delivers an intense, concentrated dose of Sea of Snakes right to the heart.
Sea of Snakes - Magmantus
As alluded to above, Magmantus has a tendency to barrel right through your eardrums in the best way, not necessarily with rollicking speed (this is doom after all), but with discernible power and focus. Beware the Gods opens the album with an equal amount of electric energy and leaden despair as doom dances with heavy metal, conveying a sense of hopelessness. Meanwhile, tracks such as Behind the Mask and Killing Fields make great use of the spiraling, sensuous doom groove that Sea of Snakes dove into headfirst on the "Bow to No One" album, but these songs feature soaring, confident choruses and mind-bending, hazy interludes respectively to break things up nicely. Middle track A Few Minutes delivers a solid representation of the bluesy Sabbathian doom we all worship around here that crescendos into swaggering heavy blues and grunge-infused choruses. Magmantus wraps up with its title track, a blistering instrumental showcase just over two minutes long that really represents Sea of Snakes' sound as a whole. This almost feels like putting a seal on the EP, cementing the fact that this is a band that's super confident in their sound and message.
Final Thoughts
While the five tracks of Magmantus seem to blow by far too soon, the energy and impact of these songs remain with the listener long after the twenty-four-minute runtime has elapsed. While this EP is undeniably Sea of Snakes, utilizing their trademark modern doom sound, there's also some more assertive tones coming through via a stronger emphasis on heavy metal. I wouldn't call it aggression; Magmantus seems to be past that stage in its message. It's more like urgency: a call to wake up, be aware of the rampant deception in the world around us, and take action before it's too late.
More About Sea of Snakes
Sea of Snakes is:
Jim McCloskey - Guitars
Greg Noriega - Bass
Chris Lowbridge - Drums
Jason Busiek - Vocals
You can follow Sea of Snakes and listen to their music at the following links:
Comments
Post a Comment