7/10

With their long-awaited debut EP 'Vice Market', Captain Mantis tip their hat to rock’s past by grabbing it, spinning it, and wearing it like it’s brand new. Across four tightly crafted songs, the Monterrey outfit prove they can shift from swaggering riff-driven bangers to tender, slow-burning ballads without losing their pulse or personality. It’s a release that feels cinematic in scope, yet grounded in the camaraderie of four musicians who clearly relish playing together.

The EP roars to life with 'Moonshine Alley', a gritty opener that channels the urgency of ‘70s hard rock but sharpens it with the precision of a band that understands restraint as well as release. Charly “El Pulpo” Lowry’s drumming is all snap and propulsion, locking in seamlessly with Ignacio Alvarez’s basslines, which pulse with an infectious funk undercurrent. Then comes 'Simon Frost', the collection’s emotional anchor, a ballad that leans into space and texture, with Pato Sepúlveda’s guitar work gliding between delicate ornamentation and bold, expressive swells.

Vocally, Checo Ruizesparza delivers in spades, navigating from smoky croon to ragged fervour with ease, giving each track its own shade of intimacy or fire. Throughout, Paco Lazo and Andrés Lavalle’s production walks a fine line between polish and warmth, making 'Vice Market' feel both vintage in tone and fresh in its execution.

Each song has its own distinct character, but the chemistry between the members is the throughline; an unspoken rhythm that ties the funk-inflected grooves, lush harmonies, and riff-heavy climaxes together into something cohesive and deeply satisfying.

'Vice Market' is a reminder that rock revivalism works best when it’s not just about nostalgia. Captain Mantis aren’t impersonating their influences, they’re conversing with them, pulling the best from decades past and filtering it through a sound that’s entirely their own.