When someone is both drummer and vocalist and fronts a melodic rock band, you cannot help but think of Deen Castronovo. It is just where the mind goes.
Carlos Benitez, though, might as well be a reviewer, because he has more or less nailed this one himself. Talking about “III”, Mattador’s third album, he said the band felt they had made “a great album packed with amazing songs, from big ballads and acoustic compositions to rock anthems and so much more.” He also called it an evolution, and reckoned the production was more organic, powerful and current, but not the standard sound everyone else seems to chase.
Fair play, because that is pretty much the review done.
The veteran Puerto Rican band, originally formed back in 1988, have always dealt in melodic rock with a tougher edge than you might think. That has long been Mattador’s stock in trade, but when you combine it with the musicianship and skill on show on “Awake” and the likes, then you have got something special.
There is a really impressive amount of energy on “Black Water”, the sort of thing that proves this is not a band simply returning to make up the numbers. There is a purpose here, a sharpness, and a feeling that they know exactly what they are trying to do.
“Out For Blood” brings proper metal, raging away with a fists-in-the-air chorus, but what makes Mattador interesting is that they are not content to stay in one lane. “Say You’ll Stay” throws in some proper 80s AOR, and “Levitate” backs that up with a big, soaring power ballad. It is glossy, yes, but not plastic.
A blind man on a galloping horse could spot the Led Zeppelin-isms on “Crawling”, but Mattador mix things up enough to avoid merely tipping the hat. And by mix it up, we mean the funkiness on “Some Kind Of Crazy”. The album is produced by Bob St John, who has worked with Extreme, and you can hear that sense of groove and polish without it ever becoming too slick.
Those two worlds the record inhabits come together neatly on “Falling Backwards”, while “Portal” is a quite brilliant instrumental with more than a little echo of Satriani about it. It is not just showing off either. Well, maybe it is a little, but when you can play like this, why wouldn’t you?
Benitez is back front and centre for “Slow Down”, and “Moksha” takes a lovely Spanish guitar turn before heading somewhere more prog-like. Then, for those who still hanker after 80s Whitesnake, “No Way Out” should do the trick nicely.
“III” is exactly what Benitez said it was: an evolution, but one that understands where Mattador came from. They have made a record that knows where it has been, where it is now, and why melodic rock still works when it is done with this much care.
Rating 8/10
