Panthalassan – From the Shallows of the Mantle Review

Angry Metal Guy is an institution, and not just a mental one. Artists often dip into our comment section to express a fondness for our site specifically, and the review requests that land in our contact form are even more devoted (or attempting to ingratiate themselves by pretending to be; politics plays a part too!). The case of Panthalassan is a step further, though. It’s a one-man band inspired by bands we have hawked relentlessly: Lör and Wilderun. After playing guitar for Viathyn and Ravenous, Jake Wright sought to carve his own path, striking out on his own with only the drums of session musician and Viathyn bandmate Dave Crnković to accompany him. Have the AMG classics steered him true?

Well, it’s clear that one has had more pull than the other, because From the Shallows of the Mantle will sound fairly familiar for anyone who’s heard Lör’s In Forgotten Sleep. Lithe, winding guitars dish out multi-layered riffs and whirling solos alike, largely at dazzling speeds. The compositions are progressive, and though they don’t eschew choruses altogether, the tracks are arranged in a free-flowing form, prioritizing a musical narrative thread over rigid structure. And it must be said, Wright is a crack at the axe. There are enough great solos dotted across the running time to supply 3 albums, and the rapid and evolving melodic riffs thrill without fail. Just check the triumphant ascending chords that kick off “Coral Throne” or the Fellowship-worthy “By Shank’s Mare.” Cheesy? Sure. But it is some of the catchiest riffing I’ve heard yet this year.

Which is why it’s such a shame that both vocals and lyrics weigh on the album like an anchor. It’s not a technical disaster. Wright does glance off pitch on occasion, but he doesn’t veer completely wild. But sometimes I wish he would, because as adventurous as the guitars are, so safe and consequently flat is the vocal performance, leaving little room for emotional involvement. Exacerbating this issue are the lyrics. The text itself is not awful when read on paper; the problem is the near-total lack of flow, which is ironic considering its oceanic themes. I’m of the opinion that a good flow is the most important and oft-overlooked element of lyrics in music. You can sing about utter nonsense and I’ll suck it up like a sponge if you get your cadance and prosody right. But Panthalassan sounds stilted and awkward across most of the album, with ‘The gasp that slips my lips’ the tongue-twisting nadir. The difference it makes when it does fall into place, in the closer’s chorus, is downright startling. It makes me wonder how much better From the Shallows of the Mantle could have been with this issue resolved.

The quality of the instrumentation might have been enough to overcome the above issue, and it almost does. Besides the sweet guitars, Crnković does a solid job keeping up the pace on the drums, and the tracks weave enough variation and supplementary instruments into the compositions to stay reasonably fresh. Even so, more than an hour is a long sit, and most of the tracks that push past 7 minutes should not. “Worth My Salt” overuses the title phrase, and the extended outro on the back of the otherwise excellent “Embers on our Shore” drags it out even further. On the bright side, I do enjoy the production, which is light but doesn’t lack in power. The guitars are crystalline and the bass gets enough space; the only unfortunate consequence of the mix is the attention the vocals get, putting more emphasis on the shortcomings there.

Still, From the Shallows of the Mantle is a very promising debut for Panthalassan. Most of the issues with the album are surface-level, not fundamental. A re-examination of how to write vocal parts that flow well is in order, and that might in turn help entice a more passionate performance. I’m also curious to hear how Wright would fare trying to move away from the trappings of Lör’s fairly specific sound, something I’m convinced he has the chops to. That, as well as keeping the album more concise, would be more than enough to make the next installment of this oceanic saga a smash hit, because the bones are all there: solid songcraft, virtuoso play on every instrument, and a knack for a good hook.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: PCM
Label: Self-released
Websites: panthalassan.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/panthalassan
Releases Worldwide: March 28th, 2025