5 out of 5

Label: Arctodus Records

Produced by: Craig Boychuk (recorded by)

In the liner notes, KEN mode lead Jesse talks about how Mennonite was purposefully captured in a raw state, with little rehearsal and single takes and lyrics written soon after tracks were laid down.  In his words, the album is pure, “the ideas: focused and complete.”  Damn right.  Now having sampled albums from various points in KM’s career, it’s interesting to hear how their sound has both evolved over time and perhaps been tweaked by the producer they work with.  Venerable was amped up to an extreme under the knob-twiddlins of Kurt Ballou, and Entrench had Matt Bayles’ technical edge all over it.  While I’m not familiar with Craig Boychuk (although he produced their first disc), the intro note to the album makes Mennonite sound as if it was more in-house; whether that is or isn’t the case, that it feels like a very “pure” version of the band is absolutely true.  Their other releases of course are of incredible value, but once you’re established and the itch to expand beyond that establishment hits, the self-awareness can sometimes distill the mix that allowed for the initial spark to kick things off, and Mennonite maintains that spark, track after track.  It has KM’s signature bass rumbling, and happily Jesse is more in scream/talk mode than the straight hardcore growls of Venerable, but the arrangements do feel comparatively pared down, and it ends up producing some intense moments, as well as allowing the recording to highlight the almost groovy backbone that drives a lot of their tracks.

Jesse’s lyrics are as thoughtful as usual, although a little more vague than his writing on later albums.  Still, it maintains the pleasant surprise I get of over-simplifying what I think he’s saying when I listen, then reading the liner notes and realizing there was a lot more to it.  The album art, also the norm for the group (because we’re spoiled), is weird and awesome.  And I think the sequencing is blessedly perfect on Mennonite: the way opener ‘Extending Common Courtesy Throughout The Evening’ drums rolls us in to the punch of noise; the way acoustic section pop up at various point to allow for some breaks in the fury; the way closer ‘The Goat’ is the most epic song ever without messing with the levels to pull off a quiet/loud effect – it simply exists for 7 minutes, and manages to be epic.

This isn’t to say that I don’t love KM’s other releases.  ‘Entrench’ is astounding, and the more recent (as of 2016) ‘Success’ toys with simplifying things, a la Mennonite, but with years more experience behind it.  (Review coming soon.)  Those albums have the band stretching to add to their sound, though; Mennonite is what it claims to be: a focused and raw version of KEN mode.  And it makes it clear that they are an undeniably talented, and powerful band.