When vocalist/guitarist Ralf Gyllenhammer declares, "If you don't like it / Here I stand" in "Double Nature," he launches off the strong theme of defiance on this release. Not only does Gyllenhammer provide the strong center of this band, he is surrounded by talented musicians that take you from aggressive riffing to delicate violin interludes, and then back to blistering guitar solos. Mustasch has recovered nicely from their use of long dramatic intros that repeat the same weak riff; few bands have the talent to dig a deep hole and to then quickly step out of it, dust the dirt off, and continue with a disc full of good material. Latest Version Of The Truth takes you to a deeper level than what you might expect, especially with the haunting final track, "The End," which I'll get to in a bit.

To be clear, this is heavy metal. Mustasch features metal riffs and mid-tempo rock songs that are pleasing to the ears. Each musician in the band contributes to the overall sound; there are no outstanding individual performances -- no ripping guitar solos that take the focus away from the band as a unit. Ralf Glyllenhammer's guitar solo in "The Heckler" fits into the song and is brief. Drummer Mats 'Dojan' Hanson contributes interesting rhythms on each song as well, which is especially evident on third track "Falling Down," as well as on "The Heckler." Both of these songs feature a lot of tom rhythms and snare beats. The melancholy opening of fifth track,"I Wanna Be Loved," offers Hanson a chance to establish a contrast with the song’s ending, transitioning into the same thick guitar riff played at half-tempo and proving that slow moving volcanic ash is still devastating. The song serves as a perfect example of how a drummer can drive a song.

Ultimately, Glyllenhammer is the focus of this band, having written the lyrics and handling vocals and guitars. His unique approach to lyrics allows him to twist his words in an interesting way. On the second track, a mid-tempo stomp called “Double Nature, he sings, "I love you baby, though I hate you / I'm a double nature." His choice to write the lyrics that way is an interesting choice; he could have sung "I love you baby, though I hate you / It's my double nature." This approach surfaces in other tracks, such as "Falling Down” with the line "I'm down to earth but could go higher / Though I'm pretty safe here in my tree / I really like to try go flying / But I know I'll fall like tumbling leaves."

The band's swan song is "The End." Beginning with a hypnotizing drum rhythm with strings later added in, this track breaks into little snippets of each of the previous ten. It is hypnotizing to listen to, as there is just enough of each song to recognize it. After this section, a soft piano begins and you hear Glyllenhammer conclude its flawless release with the lines, "So here it is, our pride and glory / The finest piece of art we've ever done / I tell you, man, it wasn't easy / I never thought we'd bring this sucker home / Now it's time to face the curtain. Was it worth the pain? / It could be more perfect / But here it is our end / You're welcome to the end.”

Mustasch is a band with amazing attention to detail, constructing songs that are retained in your brain.

Rating: A

User Rating: A

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