### Mustasch: Ratsafari

#### 29/03/10 || Trauma

In the humble days of 2002, a band named Mustasch released an album called “Above all”. The world didn’t notice. They toured and worked and wrote more songs and within the following year they already had album numero zwei ready to take on the world: “Ratsafari”. It was nominated for a Swedish Grammi, even. But, it appeared that the world didn’t notice this one, either.

It’s a fucken shame, damn it! This album took what they were going for to the extreme and boy is this exactly what they should have done. Dare I say this is even near perfection. If I was to show someone to one Mustasch album that withstands multiple listens at the same level of astonishment, this would be the one. It’s just much cleaner and a whole lot tighter this go around than the last. What a difference a year makes, no? It’s a cohesive album. Guitars sound consistent throughout, vocals sound more consistent, as well. There is also much more variety in the music, with a lot more up tempo numbers rather than the much slower and fuzzy sound of “Above all”.

The opener “Stinger City” is pretty good, but when you have songs like “Black city”, “Rat safari”, and “Fredrika” following it, sometimes it’s a bit hard to remember that the opener was so good. You could always start the album from the beginning again, but you still run into that same problem: forgetting about that great song in the beginning after it’s over. “Black city” is kick-ass. Short and sweet and capturing that rock vibe so many other bands try to get. “Unsafe at any speed” comes up next, and I get a little lost with the lyrics. Is he being demoted to tour assistant or something? I know it’s dealing with life on the road as a band or something. Whatever, I put too much thought into something so insignificant. “Rat safari” is another one of those typical Mustasch tunes with the ever so simple riffs but holding its heaviness and being catchy all the while. At the very least it should be good since it is the fucken title track. “6:36” is either a dream or a fucken acid trip in the early morning. Repeating lyrics and a pretty good riff going on when the solo starts, which is a highpoint of the song. Everything just fits like a glove. “The deadringer” is good, as is fucken “Fredrika”. I might lose metal cred (like I fucken had any) for liking that song so much, but fuck, I do. “Alpha male” is fun to play along to on guitar, that much I know. Tough guy lyrics, of course. Can’t have tough guy lyrics without the metaphorical dog/wolf. No, don’t even say it, cats are not fucken tough, they are sneaky/manipulative little bastards that like to piss all over walls.

Mustasch go into acoustic interlude territory with “Mareld” afterwards, and as far as interludes go it’s up there with pretty nice guitar lines. It’s a bit unsettling to hear it at first, with the rest of the songs like they are, but in the end it doesn’t even feel out of place at all. “Lone song — reclusion” gets going ASAP, and I really dig the main riff. Up last, we have “Monday warrior”, another song with lyrics mimicking life. Blast this fucker on your way to work Mondays, and feel empowered by the lyrics and not let all the horrible Indian drivers annoy you so much until Tuesday – Sunday. It has the power, let it wash over you.

If you haven’t figured it out, I really fucken like Mustasch. And I seriously fucken love this album. I think it’s fantastic. I think this is the 2nd highest score I’ve given an album on Global Domination so far, and I don’t feel embarrassed about doing it. Whether or not you would agree I could care less, but as far as the style of music portrayed here, it fucken deserves the score.

- Information
- Released: 2003
- Label: Regain
- Website: www.mustasch.com
- Band
- Ralf Gyllenhammer: vocals, guitar
- Hannes Hansson: guitar
- Mats Johansson: bass
- Mats Hansson: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Stinger citizen
- 02. Black city
- 03. Unsafe at any speed
- 04. Rat safari
- 05. 6:36
- 06. The deadringer
- 07. Fredrika
- 08. Alpha male
- 09. Mareld
- 10. Lone song — reclusion
- 11. Monday Warrior