Watch and Listen to Valhalla Hammering

Hanno Klänhardt, the band’s member, shares his thoughts: “Valhalla Hammering is one of those songs that immediately resonated with us, even though it didn’t make it onto the album last year. It’s not a track you write to create an ‘instant classic,’ but rather to amuse yourself as a songwriter. Though it’s about 7 minutes long, we aimed to include the catchiest, most impactful songs on the last album, which is why it didn’t find its place.

I was already aware that it probably wouldn’t end up on the album as I was writing it. In fact, I had planned to release it some time AFTER we had released ‘Pain Is Forever And This Is The End,’ in order to present something entirely different as our next move. It’s always good to keep things intriguing.

The first two minutes pay homage to our early days when Doom as a genre held significant importance for us. You can hear similar elements in the last song of our debut album titled ‘March Of The Crowes.’ People often noted that slow, ultra-heavy sound suited us well. With ‘Valhalla Hammering,’ we managed to bring the best of both worlds – a slow, heavy groove and a catchy, almost mesmerizing hook. We even threw in a flute solo around the 5-minute mark. This might just be the peak of our songwriting career.

The music video for the song is as mind-bending as the song itself. Inspired by a documentary from Amsterdam-based artist Willehad Eilers, also known as Wayne Horse, creating the visuals went beyond the usual video shoot. To be frank, some aspects of it are better left unexplained. Even if we tried, we couldn’t fully explain it. Enjoy the enigmatic journey.”

Formed in 2012, Mantar has become a prominent force in the realm of extreme metal over the past decade. Garnering love from fans and critics alike, the band made a significant impact with their distinct sound, leading them to secure a spot in the Top 10 of the official German album charts with their 2018 release, ‘The Modern Art Of Setting Ablaze,’ and selling out shows across Europe.

Mantar’s latest full-length album, ‘Pain Is Forever And This Is The End,’ hit the scene through Metal Blade Records on July 15, 2022. The album achieved impressive chart positions in the US and Europe, including reaching #2 on the Official German Album Charts, #43 on the Top 100 Swiss Album Charts, #60 on the Current Hard Music (Billboard USA), and #69 on the Top 75 Austria.

Both stateside and internationally, the album has garnered praise. Decibel Magazine refers to it as a “burning Molotov cocktail of black metal, sludgy hardcore, and classic metal hooks.” Rock Hard notes its ability to balance between “brute destructive fury and dense atmosphere,” and Metal Injection applauds its “thicker grooves, anthemic refrains, head-nodding rhythms, and a greater exploitation of fist-in-the-air-ology school of songwriting.”

Mantar is set to perform at various events including Party.San, Desertfest, and more. Check out their full list of tour dates below.

Mantar Live 2023:
Europe
08/11 – Schlotheim, DE – Party.San Festival

Pain Is Forever And This Is The End Tour:

South America

North America

• 09/13 – Morelia Michoacan, MX – Cactus Bar
• 09/14 – Mexico City, MX – Sala Sangriento
• 09/16 – New York, NY – Desertfest

Europe

• 09/29 – Frankfurt, DE – Zoom Club w/ Slope
• 09/30 – Leipzig, DE – UT Connewitz w/ Slope
• 10/01 – Pratteln, CH – Up In Smoke
• 10/07 – München, DE – Keep It Low
• 10/08 – Nürnberg, DE – Z-Bau w/ Slope
• 10/13 – Dortmund, DE – Junkyard w/ Slope
• 10/14 – Secret Show
• 10/21 – Antwerp, BE – Desertfest
• 10/22 – Oignies, FR – Tyrant Fest

Photo by Matthis Van DerMeulen

Mantar is composed of:
Hanno Klänhardt – guitars, vocals
Erinc Sakarya – drums

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