Album Review: Fu Manchu – Clone of the Universe (At The Dojo)

Fu Manchu’s upcoming, highly anticipated, 12th album is called Clone of the Universe. It will be released on February 9th 2018 via their own label, At The Dojo Records. This record marks their first in 4 years, following 2014’s Gigantoid.

It’s familiar territory for long-term Fu Manchu fans as the booming groove of Intelligent Worship rings out. Fuzzy around the edges, there is so much to enjoy here. The sultry vocals working nicely alongside the heated guitar riffs & echoing bass.

(I’ve Been) Hexed is a particularly thrilling high point as the stoner-rock edge that Fu Manchu excel at is heightened.

The faster pace is then picked up again with Don’t Panic, although with a much improved level of hard-rock riffs. The ability to seamlessly move from stoner-rock, to trippy blues then to hard-rock is a truly wondrous thing.

The middle of the album builds on the impressive music heard so far with Slower Than Light and Nowhere Left fo Hide blending the haziness that stings the eyes with the breeze that clears it all away leaving you with nothing but a warm glow.

The title track is one final short effort that delivers plenty of catchiness before II Mostro Atomico surprises with an epic rock jam that comes in at 18+ minutes long. To add even more weight to the grandness, it also features Alex Lifeson of Rush.

Trippy guitar riffs & pulsating bass hooks take you by the hand and lead the way into a world of colourful oddities. Like Wonderland but with a lot more rock music & furry melodies. It’s a track that twists and turns in the wind of groove, unsettled but still pretty to watch as it flutters without much purpose. It’s certainly at odds with what’s been heard so far but with the inclusion of brief vocals at the halfway point & an injection of pace starts to bring things back around.

A hell of an inventive finish, one that completes a return for Fu Manchu that they can be proud of.

Fu Manchu – Clone of the Universe Full Track Listing:

1. Intelligent Worship
2. (I’ve Been) Hexed
3. Don’t Panic
4. Slower Than Light
5. Nowhere Left To Hide
6. Clone of the Universe
7. Il Mostro Atomico

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You can pick up the album via Fu Manchu’s website here, Amazon above and Big Cartel as well as streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music below. Find out more/keep up to date with news via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.