Traditional Doom Metal – Page 8

Lucifer’s Fall – Fuck You We’re Lucifer’s Fall (Review)

This is the latest EP from Australia’s Lucifer’s Fall. They play Traditional Doom Metal.

I really liked Lucifer’s Fall’s début album; it was a definite grower. I was looking forward to listening to this new EP, but also slightly apprehensive as the low-rent cover is in stark contrast to the much better artwork adorning their album.

Of course, this is the classic “don’t judge a book by its cover” syndrome. I was fearful of some under-produced Punk/Doom abomination, (for some reason), but in reality of course the band are still crushing it with their classic take on Doom Metal.

So, apart from the cover, all of the ingredients that made their début album so enjoyable are present and correct – Traditional Doom with hints of the darker modern style, a good sound with an audible bass, loose and mournful vocals, Reverend Bizarre influences…it’s all here and I am very glad that it is.

The songs are effortlessly familiar, enjoyable and seem to roll into your ears with ease.

On this EP the band offer up three tracks spanning 25 minutes and it’s a worthy way to spend your time.

Hellhookah – Endless Serpents (Review)

Hellhookah are a Traditional Doom Metal band from Lithuania. This is their début album.

This is Traditional Doom Metal for fans of bands like Black Sabbath, Saint Vitus, Pentagram and Trouble. The album is 35 minutes long and has 7 tracks, one of which is a Saint Vitus cover.

With both eyes firmly on the past, Hellhookah peel off the riffs that mark the style and these songs are easily digested.

I find that these songs are at their best the slower and more moody that the band play, such as on tracks like Endless Serpents.

The singer has a decent voice that does the job required. There’s no complaints in this department.

This entire album has a very authentic sound; it could have been recorded decades ago and just recently unearthed.

A not-unpleasant way to spend half an hour – have a listen and see what you think.

Eternal Black – Eternal Black (Review)

This is the début EP from US Doom/Stoner band Eternal Black.

Eternal Black play Traditional Doom Metal, (à la Saint Vitus), filtered through a filthy lens and incorporating an influence from bands like Down, Corrosion of Conformity, Orange Goblin and a touch of Eyehategod in the riffs.

The songs pass by with a pleasant rumbling and a companionable fuzzy delivery. The singer’s measured drawl is familiar enough to be enticing, but individual enough to carry off.

With decent grooves and an ear for a good riff, these three songs are over before you realise, despite each lasting about 5-6 minutes each.

A good, earthy sound that’s not too polished breathes life into the tracks, and all of the instruments are clear enough to be heard.

The songs are catchy, memorable and enjoyable. What more is there to say, really?

Recommended.

A Dream of Poe – An Infinity Emerged (Review)

A Dream of Poe are from Portugal and play Doom Metal. This is their second album.

This is Traditional Doom Metal that’s rich of texture and hue, laced with a subtle Gothic influence and plenty of majestic melodies; think My Dying Bride-esque.

The singer has a charismatic voice with just the right amount of drama added to the performance. He adds a lot of colour and flavour to the tracks and acts as a focal point for the misery-drenched music.

The songs are long, drawn-out explorations of beauty and tragedy, coming across as chapters in an epic tale of loss and woe.

Subtle keyboards underscore the emotive themes while the guitars provide a bedrock for the evocative atmospheres to attach themselves to. The songs are slow, moody and full of dark feelings.

Each track takes its time to get where it’s going and there’s no impetus to make things hurry along; this is a very good thing as the relaxing pace of the music is quite hypnotic and it’s easy to just switch off and absorb this album.

This is 56 minutes of quality Metal. Highly recommended.

Flesh of the Stars – Hide (Review)

Flesh of the Stars are from the US and play Doom Metal. This is their début album.

Taking their cues from bands such as Sleep and Black Sabbath, Flesh of the Stars play Traditional Doom Metal with an occult, sinister vibe and 70s accoutrements. Throw in a few elements of bands like Electric Wizard and Ice Dragon and you have a hugely impressive début that is head-and-shoulders above most who attempt this style.

And that’s the thing in many ways; this kind of music has been absolutely done to death, but Flesh of the Stars play it so damn well it’s hard to care. The level of songwriting and dark atmosphere on this album is downright freaky in itself. Surely they’ve sold their souls for these songs?

Out of these seven tracks only four of them are actual songs, so Hide leaves you hungry for more. It’s an addictive release as it’s so very easy just to start playing it again once you’ve listened to it; the hallmark of a great album.

The band create an impressive atmosphere with their music and there are some genuinely creepy/eerie moments on Hide. The interplay between the, (largely), restrained, introspective vocals and the fuzzy guitar is perfectly judged and everything fits into place where it should.

Well, I can’t say enough nice things about this. It’s always great when you discover a band who seem so perfectly attuned to what they’re doing that it’s a genuine pleasure to listen to. This is especially true when the band isn’t actually doing anything different or ground-breaking; Flesh of the Stars are just so massively good at what they do that it’s probably immoral.

Essential.

Favourite Track: Grim Baptist. Well, what a stunning song!

Magister Templi – Into Duat (Review)

This is the second album from Norwegian Heavy Metallers Magister Templi.

A strong sound heralds an album that’s an enjoyable mix of Heavy Metal with a pinch of Traditional Doom Metal thrown in for spice.

Good riffs and strong melodies abound on Into Duat. The songs are well-developed slabs of Metal that have enough dynamics, energy and thought put into them to stand up to close scrutiny.

The singer’s voice is like a siren, soaring above the rest of the music. His voice is piercing and has a definite presence among the energetic guitars and earthy drums. A band like this would flounder with bland, uninspiring vocals, but thankfully we don’t have to worry about that as their singer is quite accomplished at what he does.

A theatrical element raises its head on occasion, but not in an overly ostentatious way. It’s an added string to their bow that gives them a well-rounded feel.

The recording is professional and tight; it’s a strong production with a warm, analogue sound that is like fine, aged whiskey. This, coupled with the songs themselves, results in Into Duat being a very satisfying listen indeed.

Overall this is a very interesting cross between Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and Jon Oliva’s Pain. It’s a really entertaining listen and one that has enough longevity and depth to it that I’ll definitely be coming back for more in the future.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Magister-Templi/102129379880020

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…?

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.