Mammal - Vol 2 Systematic/Automatic

Author

Kate Stephens

Published

Friday 11th December

Vol 2 Systematic/Automatic is the latest release by Australian rockers Mammal, recorded before but released after the band announced their spilt. The live album stumbles through the chaotic and craziness that’s now become Mammal’s live reputation. But the most entertaining part of their gig is watching the four rip the stage apart, and lucky for us, put disc two into your computer and bam! Mammal: The visual experience. The main footage is recorded at the Ferntree Gully Hotel in April 2009, but it is constantly interrupted by tour footage, giving an insight into the band, but occurring too often and at poor times, leaving the divisions possibly better for a separate reel. The quality as well is questionable, with some angles and sound levels at times amateur. Yet despite the occasional fuzzy image, lead singer Ezekiel Ox always shines through. He’s a clear show stopper, flexing every muscle in time with the music as he makes his way over every inch of the stage.

This album is really two things, a live record of an amazing Australian live band, and a documentary, revealing the massive cracks in the Mammal clan. All members at different points face the camera leaking little snippets of the problems. Ox in particular begins to look different, loosing the showman image to an arrogant and slightly more narcissistic one. Yet it’s more than Ox’s personality that seems to protrude, it’s also his political ideas that are embed within Mammal, whether the other three agree or not. These moments are few though, and within seconds the bickering is put to the side for the performance at hand. The DVD is really the selling point. When it’s compared to the real thing, the disc copy has the stamina of Roy Jones Jnr in a Danny Green fight, but Mammal fans worship it, because it’s all that’s left.