the week between the 27th october – 31st october 2025 will be a celebration of a band that i’ve been kinda obsessed with since discovering them a few months ago. formed by two anonymous brothers in san francisco, usa, back in 2008 (also recording in beirut, lebanon), mamaleek have been creating some of the most intense metal music, often jazzy, ambient, prog-rock or psychedelic rock influenced. 8 albums in, the obscure band have become one of the most expansive, daring bands out there, continuously refining yet expanding their sound, exploring new sonic landscapes through different genres and energies. excited to delve into their incredible discography! next up, their intense and visionary sixth album come & see.

released: march 27, 2020

genre: black metal / experimental / blues

from: san francisco

label: the flenser

a few thoughts: mamaleek’s 2020 album come & see was my first introduction to the band, and from the opener i was already hooked. “eating unblessed meat” is a powerful statement, with intense guitar riffs and distorted guitars complementing the lead singer’s intense and gravelly vocals. but there’s melody and lightness to the track, too. the atmospheric energy it creates is incredible and infectious, with the last three minutes of the track being one of my favourite moments on a mamaleek record. “your world is shaking / and we’re all / staring / paramedics nearing” he wails, over some of the grooviest, blues-inspired melodies i’ve heard, and bursts into life with the solos on it. it’s a monumental moment on the album. “blue moon / you bring the tides / bluе moon / you bring the fire” he wails emphatically throughout. oh man, all these changes in melody and sound are all so fucking good. the heaviness and intensity is just so entrancing, with saxophones adding a jazzy undertone to the melody as well. “whites of the eyes (cowards)” has this tribal, shamanistic opener, that bursts into life with harsh guitar leads and politically charged, fascinating lyrics. “and now we’re questioning / the sanity of the oracle / cowards / hiding behind a riddle / and mocking the mysteries / wise counsellors / make the best transistors / of our miseries / summoning semantic wrath / that cloaks our shining path / toward the true kernel of reality” and then “cowards! bend at the knee!” x 4. the saxophone wails are crazy adding to the ugency of this track. but what an opening statement. the track shifts into another gear, with intense drumming and eerie guitar leads, as the singer continues building this dystopian world. the jazzy, groovy few last minutes of the track are incredible too. it’s sounds like someone screaming while a jazz group is improvising on set, and it works so well. the groove of “street nurse” is just incredible. the desert rock, bluesy riff is just so good. the guitar leads are entrancing. and then the singer’s emphatic vocal display. the subtle piano melody underneath all the madness adds a lightness and groove to it. but the guitar solos are incredible throughout. “we hang because we must” starts off with an eerie, jazzy melody, then intense vocals, then a groovy, spacey rhythm. the drumming and guitar riffs are intense, before journeying into colourful guitar-driven piece that captures their animated world perfectly. the bass-heavy synths that hit, along with the six string soundscapes makes for an intense listen. it concludes with angelic wind instrumentation, shakers, and a subtle but colourful guitar melody that captures real beauty amidst the chaos and darkness. it’s a fitting closer to a pretty flawless album, in my opinion. i can’t fault it, and it might be my favourite of them all, perhaps because it was my introduction to the band and was completely blown away by it. come & see is a masterpiece and an album that i recommend starting with, as well.

the album: