Mastermind

iTunes Review

Monster Magnet’s Dave Wyndorf is an old school stoner-doom-metal guy who loves his Stooges mixed with a little Hawkwind and a spritz of garage rock. His 1998 release Powertrip was a definitive hard-rock statement and Mastermind revisits its playbook with a few new harmonic twists. “Hallucination Bomb” trudges with a powerful grudge that’s matched by the whiplash riff that guides the title track. “Dig That Hole” channels Jim Morrison, who is further quoted in the psychedelic garage-rock of “Time Machine.” “Gods and Punks” and “Perish In Fire” build with a punkish skip in their steps while “100 Million Miles” is about as close to a hardcore punk tune as this barbiturate-laced music can get. “Ghost Story” is a kicking, swaggering piece of hard-rock pop. “The Titan Who Cried Like a Baby” plays with a cinematic sweep. The world may very well end with the doomed tonalities of “When the Planes Fall from the Sky.” Monster Magnet know how to pull out all of the hard rock and punk moves they need to remain on top of the landfill. The “Deluxe Version” includes several notable cuts and a video for “Gods and Punks.”