Doom Metal – Page 58 – Wonderbox Metal

Desolate Pathway – Valley of the King (Review)

This is the début album from UK Doom Metallers Desolate Pathway.

This is Traditional/Classic Doom Metal in the tradition of Candlemass, Black Sabbath, Saint Vitus, etc.

Desolate Pathway sound authentic and have the recording to match. This infuses the music with authority and power, not that the songs themselves are lacking in this department, mind.

The singer has a good voice and carries the tunes with ease. He has the requisite presence for this kind of music and he manages to remain the main focal point for the music without detracting from the rest of the band at all.

There’s an Iron Maiden-esque Heavy Metal influence which rears its head here and there too, which is no bad thing. The riffs, solos, melodies and harmonies are forlorn, but not overly so.

It’s an engaging listen as the band clearly know their chosen sub-genre. However, as with any classic style such as this, your tolerance for it will dictate your reaction to them. If you’re sated on this kind of thing you’ll probably not be too interested. If you’re still open to it though, Desolate Pathway play their tunes better than most and Valley of the King is a worthwhile listen.

So sit back, turn up the volume and press play. It’s time to visit the Valley of the King.

Khemmis – Absolution (Review)

Khemmis are a US Doom Metal band and this is their début album.

Now this is an interesting release. The album cover might lead you to believe that Khemmis are a Traditional Doom Metal band, and although this is certainly a big part of their sound there’s also more going on here than that.

Khemmis combine Traditional Doom Metal with Sludge Metal. This is not a common thing to do and it works much better than you might think.

What does this mean in real terms? Well, it means the ancient Traditional Doom approach is melded together with a heavier, Sludgier sound that’s partially one and partially the other. Imagine a cross between 40 Watt Sun and a cleaner version of Primitive Man.

The vocals also display this duality of Doom purpose; dreamy, traditional clean vocals are occasionally supplemented with deeper growls that seem like they’re about to tear the Earth apart with their ferocity.

I love the way the band manage to take the clean Doom Metal sound, mix it with the dirty Sludge style and come up with a winning combination of the two. This is usually within the same song too. Southern-inspired riffs share space with heavenly cleans, (the singer has a top quality voice), before descending into the pit once more and the Deathgrowls rule the roost for a while.

This is an album that cries out for repeated spins, and repeated spins it gets. In addition to its obvious charms there’s a lot of hidden gold on Absolution.

Extremely highly recommended.

Demon Lung – A Dracula (Review)

This is the second album from US Doom Metal band Demon Lung.

Having really enjoyed The Hundredth Name, this new release promised much.

Demon Lung’s Metal is the Traditional Doom Metal variety. Taking the occult route, the band have produced 45 minutes of material that sparkles with an evil majesty.

The songs speak of midnight heresies and sacrificial rites. The music has dark atmospheres and melodies that seep into the brain and stay there, unwilling to move.

The singer’s voice is drenched in occult blasphemies and reaches new heights, (or depths), of worship. Her voice already sounded great on their début album and here she sounds even fuller and more emphatic than ever.

They pepper the songs with some upbeat moments of course, but ultimately this is all about the DOOOOM. The band know this, and that’s where the true power of this album lies.

Like their first album album, A Dracula features a strong production that gives the band’s music a very satisfying sheen. Coupled with the songs themselves, it cements Demon Lung as a particular favourite of mine in the sea of bands that play Traditional Doom.

After their enjoyable first release, Demon Lung return with an album that does them justice. A Dracula is a very enjoyable listen and is firmly recommended for all Doom Metal fans.

Right. Now, where did I put that goat…?

Abjvration – The Unquenchable Pyre (Review)

Abjvration are from France and this is their début EP. They play Death/Doom Metal.

Imagine the most hideously disgusting type of Doom that’s congealed around some sickening Death Metal to form an unholy mass of evil…this is The Unquenchable Pyre.

Huge, heavy-as-Hell riffs populate this release like disaster sites, almost relentless in their assault. Colossally slow guitars crush all before them and faster, more-Death Metal riffs punctuate the blackness like knife wounds.

The vocals are a thing of beauty, albeit a very warped and disturbing type of beauty, of course; utterly deep and pitch-black in their delivery of rolling, growling terror. They sound immense and ancient, just like the music.

The music oozes and seeps along, like some sort of infectious disease. There’s a real rank feeling of a wet, unhealthy underworld to this release and that’s an entirely complimentary comment. Abjvration have created something disturbingly special here.

The Doom riffs keep flowing and it’s only when the Blackened Death Metal parts break out that you remember they’re not just a pure Doom band.

What little melody there is on this EP is aimed at increasing the listener’s unease and the entire 27 minute playing time is a masterclass in creating rotting, noxious, heavy music.

This isn’t Black Metal but it shares a lot in common with the more foetid styles of the same. A deep, dark, miasma of Blackened pestilence hangs over this release like a funeral shroud and Abjvration milk this for every last drop of feeling that they can.

This is unapologetically Old-School Death/Doom that’s flawlessly delivered and expertly realised.

France continues to keep its reputation for producing high quality Extreme Metal intact. Abjvration are a dark revelation.

Pendulous – A Palpable Sense of Love & Loss (Review)

This is the début album by US Doom Metal band Pendulous.

Pendulous play depressive Doom/Death that’s sorrowful and full of woe. The album title should be a dead giveaway; there’s no happiness here, just misery.

The vocals alternate between grim Death-growls and clean singing, depending on the needs of the song. The growls are ably done and are strongly performed, but it’s the clean vocals that stand out.

Emotive and dripping with melancholy; the singer’s voice acts as a focal point whenever it appears and also serves to characterise the album as a whole – expressive and lost to negativity.

The songs are expressive in their own right but the addition of a rather subtle cello is a wonderful enhancement to the band’s style.

The music just excretes melancholy from every musical pore. Although the band are suitably heavy it’s an emotional heaviness that really makes A Palpable Sense of Love & Loss so crushing.

The Doom/Death scene is quite a narrow one; too much either way and you’re playing a different style. The true way to set yourself apart is the emotional content of the music and how it resonates with the listener. Pendulous should have no worries in this regard and their album is a work of bleeding, regretful art.

Listen and absorb their heart-rending story.

Obsidian Sea – Dreams. Illusions. Obsessions. (Review)

This is the second album by Bulgarian Doom Metal band Obsidian Sea.

70’s-style riffs flow out of the speakers with the ease of a player who was born to the style. The guitars on this release are catchy and even hummable in places. The songwriting in general backs this up and the album has a lot to offer people who enjoy song-based Traditional Metal.

The band have a lovely warm, meaty sound that may hark back to a decades-old style but does so with the benefit of modern technology.

The band flirt with some psychedelic elements but for the most part it’s Classic Heavy/Doom Metal all the way. Think Black Sabbath and the like and you’ll be on the right track.

The vocals rise out of the riffs smothered in reverberation and haunting cadence. They’re ably performed and really suit this genre of music.

Yes, there are a lot of bands playing this type of Metal, but Obsidian Sea have that ineffable something that differentiates them just enough to force you to take notice. I’m can’t fully put my finger on what it is, but I think it’s essentially just how well-delivered everything is here. The songs are just goooood.

If you’re a fan of Traditional Heavy/Doom Metal then Obsidain Sea are one of the more talented bands operating in its murky waters. Give them a listen.

Fangs of the Molossus – Fangs of the Molossus (Review)

Fangs of the Molossus are from Italy and play Doom Metal. This is their début album.

This is orthodox Traditional Doom Metal with a healthy sprinkling of psychedelia to add to the charm.

It’s an authentic and faithful take on the genre and the band do it justice.

Their sound is suitably occult and the songs have a jammed vibe that is loose enough to sound natural but structured enough to not be sloppy.

This is slow and ponderous Metal with classic melodies and some quality guitar-work and riffs. The rhythm guitars work up a good atmosphere and some of the extended lead/solo work is exquisite.

The vocals are quite low in the mix and work as atmosphere-enhancers and an extra instrument rather than being the focal point as they are in most bands.

An enjoyably sullen album to stick on and kick back to. Recommended.

Wicked Inquisition – Wicked Inquisition (Review)

This is the début album by US Traditional Heavy Metallers Wicked Inquisition.

We’ve met this very promising band before with their previous EP Silence Thereafter. This EP was Traditional Heavy Metal mixed with Doom Metal and the band’s new album continues this theme.

This is song-oriented catchy music that should be instantly recognisable to anyone into Classic Metal. Add to that some 70’s vibes and a bit of Traditional Doom and you have a recipe for a corker of a listen.

Warm, heavy riffs are the mainstay of the band’s music and they certainly know how to write them. Gorgeous leads and solos add colour to an already vibrant package and Wicked Inquisition show they’re more than ready for the big leagues now.

The singer has a relaxed, strong voice that he carries effortlessly. It works as a focal point for the confidently-executed music and brings the songs and the multitude of riffs together.

A highly recommended listen for anyone into Heavy Metal.

Forgotten Tomb – Hurt Yourself and the Ones You Love (Review)

Forgotten Tomb are from Italy and play Black Metal. This is their eighth album.

Forgotten Tomb specialise in negatively-charged Black Metal with a healthy amount of Doom influence thrown in. I’ve always found their work to be highly engaging and have always viewed them as sounding akin to what Paradise Lost might have ended up like had they discovered and embraced Black Metal early on.

Like Paradise Lost, Forgotten Tomb have a good ear for the melodies. They twist, turn and wind their way through the songs with an emotive passion that brings these seven tracks alive with a rich despondency. The melodic leads may form a central point of focus, but the rest of the music rallies around it effectively too.

Having said all that though, Hurt Yourself and the Ones You Love has a bit more bite than previous releases; not that they’ve lacked for this in the past, it’s just that this latest release has more of a vicious snarl to it than some of their other work.

They haven’t turned into Anaal Nathrakh, of course, and the depressive element of their sound is still their major driving force; but there’s an increased aggressive side to the band on this release. It’s as if they’re no longer content to merely be vessels for the misery and they’re now wanting to take a more active role in its propagation.

The music has a professional recording and is nicely heavy. The guitars have a very satisfying tone and the vocals are sounding as good as ever, maybe even a little more evil than normal.

Forgotten Tomb have mastered the art of sounding catchy without drifting too far into commercial-sounding waters. They’re a band who, after so long, know exactly how to write a good song, and Hurt Yourself and the Ones You Love is full of them.

This is an extremely strong album that demonstrates how to write Depressive Black Metal with enough kick and personality to truly engage and connect with the listener. Bleakly wonderful.

Lucifer’s Fall – Lucifer’s Fall (Review)

Lucifer’s Fall are from Australia and play Doom Metal. This is their début album.

For fans of Reverend Bizarre, Saint Vitus, Black Sabbath and Electric Wizard; this is Traditional Doom Metal with a small nod to modern Doom, just enough to give it a dark edge.

With an audible bass that makes a valuable contribution, it falls to the bass and drums to provide a firm foundation on which the lazy rhythm guitar is built whilst the lead guitar sets off in hopeful exploration.

The vocals are as you would expect for this style; loose, mournful and performed with enough character to warrant attention.

The songs are classically composed and written with a true love of the genre. All of the requisite parts of a Traditional Doom Metal band are in place, with Reverend Bizarre in particular seemingly deserving of special reverence.

If you are on the fence with this kind of style or have just had your fill then you probably won’t especially take to Lucifer’s Fall. If you still have more room for another band like this in your collection though, then give this a listen and see what you think.