The Mute Gods are back with their second album in just over a year’s time. While I liked parts of their debut “Do Nothing till You Hear from Me,” it had some clear flaws and the song writing was not as consistent as I’d hoped. The trio are back with “Tardigrades Will Inherit the Earth” and while I think it’s a clear improvement over the debut, it still has a couple of problems.

The songs on “Tardigrades Will Inherit the Earth” are much stronger overall which makes the album MUCH more consistent. The album finds Nick Beggs a bit more pissed off than on the debut which just gives this album more fire. Also, there are a couple of tracks that perhaps offer another side of the band musically. Roger King’s orchestral intro track “Saltatio Mortis” serves as a gloomy start to the album, which WORKS. While the other instrumental “Lament” is aptly titled in its pensive tone.

Tracks like “Animal Army,” “We Can’t Carry On” and “Early Warning” are both more angry but also catchier than anything on the debut. The title track offers something weird which is a nice change of pace but doesn’t seem out of place like some of the songs on the debut did (see “Nightschool for Idiots,” which I do like).

Ah but there are issues. Nick still sounds like Nick which is fine but he really as a vocal tone that can be a little annoying at times. The biggest issue is the mix. His vocals are way too far upfront (still) which underscores the annoyance factor. Also, drummer Marco Minnemann is too far back in the mix. Many of these songs have some bite and Marco kicks ass on them, but that’s neutralized by him being too far back.

So progress has definitely been made on “Tardigrades Will Inherit the Earth” but there’s still room for improvement for the Mute Gods. If you liked “Do Nothing till You Hear from Me,” I think you might love this album. If you weren’t keen on it, you might consider giving “Tardigrades Will Inherit the Earth” a listen. It’s far from a masterpiece but maybe the third time will be the charm?

Rating: 8/10

Tracklist:

1. Saltatio Mortis
2. Animal Army
3. We Can’t Carry On
4. The Dumbing Of The Stupid
5. Early Warning
6. Tardigrades Will Inherit The Earth
7. Window onto the Sun
8. Lament
9. The Singing Fish Batticaloa
10. Hallelujah
11. The Andromeda Strain
12. Stranger Than Fiction

Label: Inside Out Music
Website: themutegods.com