“Solitude and Savagery” deserves serious attention and is undoubtedly one of the breakout releases of this year
“Solitude and Savagery” CD//DD track listing:
1. Enter the Hermitage 2. Black Mass 3. No Sleep 4. Beyond the Wall 5. Lifebreather 6. Reawaken 7. Laniakea
The Review:
Barbarian Hermithail from Manchesterand play crushing stoner/sludge/doom. This is a band that is not afraid to play aggressively- like High on Fire- but also slow; like any doom band worth their salt you can name. The opener, “Enter The Hermitage,” sets it out for you. Straight in, no messing about, just some huge and fuzzy riffs with some maniac (Ed Campbell- who showcases serious versatility elsewhere!) shouting over the top.
There is plenty of variety here, too. There are passages of more thoughtful and melancholy music, both in the first and second track and beyond. There is quite some range on display. Suffice it to say, that by track two (“Black Mass”) I was absolutely sold on this album. This is what is needed in the underground and beyond at the moment- a band sounding not like anyone else, but featuring the best elements of quite a few bands. There is something here for fans of many different bands and sub genres. You like Orange Goblin? Try these guys out. You like High on Fire, ditto. In fact, from Sabbath to The Sword and from Conanto Candlemass: Barbarian Hermit may just appeal to fans of all those bands.
There are shades of the likes of Raging Speedhorn and The Rotted in “No Sleep” (and Motorhead, of course) while the epic might of “Beyond The Wall” is crushingly powerful with a fantastic solo. Nothing outstays its welcome here; there are no short songs and most tracks stretch out over six minutes plus (the closing “Laniaka” is eleven epic minutes!) but it all feels like it flies by at a clip. The band's approach makes this happen; each track is different and brings a slightly different approach, while remaining consistent in vibe and feel. It's no small trick to pull off but the band achieve it with ease. This is a proper album and I think one that might become very influential going forward.
This is not simple two chord/two piece sludge and nor is it just Sleepworship or a cheap copy of any other band. The production, courtesy of the effervescent Chris Fielding at Skyhammer studio is immense and as usual Chris has achieved a crushing drum, guitar and bass sound. The clarity of the mix and the sheer weight adds a good deal of muscle to the album and, having worked with Chris myself, I can hear his audio-stamp of authenticity throughout the record.
The album is just as weighty down the stretch- “Reawaken” features a riff that Iommi would be proud of and some guitar work that Mastodon might find a home for on any of their better work. “Life Breather” before it is versatile and deft in its mood swings. The aforementioned “Laniaka” is eleven minutes of schizophrenic and groovesome riffage. It's a tour de force ending to one of the best albums I have heard in 2018.
Barbarian Hermithave it; that intangible factor that makes this album like lightning in a bottle. “Solitude and Savagery” deserves serious attention and is undoubtedly one of the breakout releases of this year. These guys could really fly the flag for the UKunderground and reach the heights of Conan; as a singular band operating in a field of one. They'll spawn imitators, sure, but I know the real deal when I hear it. Superb.
For listeners prepared to take this grim journey, there are impressive rewards to be had. Not for the faint hearted, but certainly this album is one of the best releases this year in doom or any other genre. The whole album is a grim steed, plodding inexorably towards its own fate. Fantastic.
“Sentiment” CD//DD//2LP track listing:
1). In Its Absence
2). Pools of Reflection
3). Sentiment
4). A Garden Where Nothing Grows
The Review
Well, there are four tracks here, nothing much under twelve minutes in length and there has been a sizeable buzz surrounding this record for many weeks prior to me sitting down to review. So what is going on with Un's “Sentiment” album- their sophomore release?!
For starters, melancholic clean work opens up and then gives way to a truly huge and crushing passage of music. Obviously, from the song lengths alone, it is reasonable to assume that this is an album that is in the arena of the doom genre- and it is, loosely. This is nothing really like Sabbath, Vitus, Trouble, Candlemass et al- it is not trad doom by any stretch. It does fit into the more modern interpretation of the genre label- think Conan, Yob and so on.
The vocals are of the growled variety (not on every track though, so keep an ear out!), the sound is absolutely enormous and the mix is excellent. This is very, very weighty stuff indeed and by the time opener “In Its Absence” has finished, the tone has been set. There is nothing uplifting here: only the darkest and murkiest riffs and sounds are to be found here. It's a downbeat listen, as song titles such as “Pools of Reflection” suggest. The title track is just as sprawling and epic in approach and utilises the same clean opening (yielding a promise of something sweeter than the bitterest of fruit which is actually then served up).
There are echoes of Paradise Lost at their gloomiest, echoes of Yob at their trippiest and there are hints of death metal, psychedelia and even shoe-gaze here and there. The closing statement of “A Garden Where Nothing Grows” is a dark and bleak vision and it really sums up the whole record very well. Any track here would sum up the release as a whole as it is a very strong whole and is nothing if not consistent.
Yep, “Sentiment”fits into the doom bracket, but there is a great deal going on here. For listeners prepared to take this grim journey, there are impressive rewards to be had. Not for the faint hearted, but certainly this album is one of the best releases this year in doom or any other genre. The whole album is a grim steed, plodding inexorably towards its own fate. Fantastic.
This is doom metal that will appeal to anyone with a sense of theatre and anyone who wants to bang their head as well; there is some great metal on offer here. Huge and sprawling in its ambition, “The Hour Be None” is a doom tour de force and I recommend it highly.
“The Hour Be None” CD//DD track listing:
1). Dolen – Exiting The Real
2). Call for the Hearse
3). These Skies Must Break
4). Herod Again
5). Locust Reaper
6). Mother of Plagues
The Review:
Dutch doomsters Hooded Priest return with their second full length album and now with the backing of the I Hate label. There is no need for a full track by track breakdown here: this is epic trad doom. If Candlemass is your thing, Hooded Priest will be too. If you are looking for the more street end of the trad doom spectrum (The Obsessed, Saint Vitus, R.I.P) then this may be too far towards history and fantasy for your liking- but that said, the music here is top notch so why not give it a go anyway?!
Six tracks of epic scope and sound are on offer, one track well over ten minutes and two well over nine! There are huge riffs here too- “Mother of Plagues” is just massive, with an expansive sound. My stand out track would be “Herod Again”- great riffs, themes and performances of biblical proportions- top quality doom with just a measure of traditional metal thrown in. Every track is a winner, the sound is suitably massive and the vocal performance is perfectly matched to the musical ideas. There are time changes aplenty as well; it keeps the tracks interesting and allows the song lengths to be worthwhile exercises in quality as well as quantity.
This is doom metal that will appeal to anyone with a sense of theatre and anyone who wants to bang their head as well; there is some great metal on offer here. Huge and sprawling in its ambition, “The Hour Be None” is a doom tour de force and I recommend it highly.
By: Richard Maw Album Type: Full Length Date Released: 20/10/2017
Label: Metal Blade Records
Fantastical, epic, dark, heavy and doomy are all words that describe the record appropriately. There are not too many doom bands ploughing this traditional furrow these days, but Sorcerer represent the very best of them. This is another excellent album by an excellent band
“The Crowning of The Fire King” CD//DD//LP track listing
01. Sirens 02. Ship Of Doom 03. Abandoned By The Gods 04. The Devils Incubus 05. Nattvaka 06. Crimson Cross 07. The Crowning Of The Fire King 08. Unbearable Sorrow
The Review:
Sweden's Sorcerer return, a mere two years after the excellent “In The Shadow Of The Inverted Cross”. In my review of that album, I noted the Dio-esque lyrical themes and stylings, the Sabbath weight and the epic nature of real doom. Well, I am able to report that all those elements are present and correct on “The Crowning...”
From the rolling drum intro, to the first riff, to the first vocal- everything you would want from a doom album is here. The sound is suitably epic, as are the song lengths. There is some excellent lead work in opener “Sirens” as well. With both the second and last track here clocking in at close to ten minutes, this is not a doom record for the casual doom fan- or the “doom” fan who thinks that sludge is doom. This is true doom for true doom heads- start with Sabbath, go to Saint Vitus, Pentagram, Trouble, Candlemassand The Obsessed and then... Sorcerer would be a logical next step.
The album is dramatic, textured (acoustic guitars shimmer here and there, melodies are plentiful, riffs are massive) and as heavy as lead. The likes of “Abandoned By The Gods” feature riffs that you would swear were from the hands of Iommi himself. Indeed, the solo backed by rhythmical bass is straight out of the Tony Martin era. An acoustic instrumental bridges the record and the final three tracks are as strong as the first three; the band save the title track for next to last, showing that the record is not front loaded.
Fantastical, epic, dark, heavy and doomy are all words that describe the record appropriately. There are not too many doom bands ploughing this traditional furrow these days, but Sorcerer represent the very best of them. This is another excellent album by an excellent band. Doom on.
Album Type: Full Length Date Released: 31/10/2017 Label: High Roller Records
Procession carry a torch for the purest of doom- dark monolithic and emotional. It carries true weight and truly the band are at the top of their chosen field.There are huge riffs, the performances from all band members are fantastic and the songs are well crafted. No trend, just doom. Procession deliver the goods yet again.
“Doom Decimation” CD//DD//LP track listing:
01. The Warning 02. When Doomsday Has Come 03. Lonely Are The Ways Of The Stranger 04. Amidst The Bowels Of Earth 05. Democide 06. All Descending Suns 07. As They Reached The Womb 08. One By One They Died
The Review:
Processionkeep on keeping on with their true doom style. The Chilean (by way of Scandinavia) band unleash another slab of granite hewn doom here. They kick off with a muscular instrumental and then continue things with the fairly high tempo (for doom) “When Doomsday Has Come”. The vocals remain melodramatic and perfectly pitched for this type of epic sound. The production is again of good quality- it feels like they have really planned things out prior to recording as they deliver a classic sound- reverb in the right amount, big drums and a solid twin guitar sound. There are epic tracks here- “Lonely Are The Ways of the Stranger” being the first of these and a couple of tracks stretch well beyond seven and even eight minutes.
Now, your capacity for this type of doom may dictate how much you enjoy the slower passages, but there is plenty of sharp riffage to go with the murk- just check out “Amidst The Bowels Of Earth” for proof. Again, fans of Candlemass will definitely find what they are after here- fans of doom that is a little more concise may find the drawn out intro of “Democide” a little much- not to mention the following few minutes of purely instrumental riffs and solos.
Interestingly, writing this having just listened to R.I.P.'s new album and “Doom Decimation” back to back, it really struck me just how much of a broad genre doom is becoming- or perhaps has always been. After all, Sabbathhad everything from instrumentals to ballads, to up tempo rockers to the slowest of crawls- sometimes even in one song!
Procession carry a torch for the purest of doom- dark monolithic and emotional. It carries true weight and truly the band are at the top of their chosen field. When they do decide to press the pedal to the metal with more urgent riffs, they work just as well- and still sound like the same band- “All Descending Suns” being a good example of this.
“As They Reached The Womb” and the epic “One By One They Died” close the album with sixteen minutes of dramatic doom metal. The record is not for the casual doom fan; it is for those souls who enjoy the genre in its essence, in its purest form. There are huge riffs here, the performances from all band members are fantastic and the songs are well crafted. No trend, just doom. Processiondeliver the goods yet again.
This is another great record from Avatarium and one which places the band firmly in the upper echelons of doom outfits operating today. There is nothing to fault here. If you enjoyed the band's previous work, don't hesitate. If you have never heard the band, then this is as good a place as any to start. Great record.
“Hurricanes And Halos” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1. Into The Fire - Into The Storm (4:14)
2. The Starless Sleep (4:47)
3. Road To Jerusalem (5:48)
4. Medusa Child (9:00)
5. The Sky At The Bottom Of The Sea (5:25)
6. When Breath Turns To Air (4:46)
7. A Kiss (From The End Of The World) (7:14)
8. Hurricanes And Halos (3:22)
The Review:
Avatarium are proving to be a rather prolific band. The brainchild of Leif Edling (Candlemass) they have now put out three full lengths and an EP since 2013! After the excellent “The Girl With The Raven Mask”, I wondered where the band would go next. That particular album struck me as somewhat Dio-esque- with all the drama and storytelling of the miniature vocal maestro.
This time around, Dio still looms large in the influences I can hear; but more from his Rainbow era rather than his solo work. Uriah Heep offer a reference point here as well- with the rolling rhythms and Hammond organ work of “Demons and Wizards” being present and correct. The record offers up a couple of the epic song lengths that fans will expect and Jennie Ann Smith's vocals are as haunting as ever and are a real selling point of the band, not to mention a highlight of the album.
There is a lightness of touch to songs like “The Starless Sleep”, despite the weight of riffage, while there are more whimsical acoustic sounds in tracks like “Road To Jerusalem”. “Medusa Child”offers something of a centrepiece to the album at the half way point. It's a fantastic track, full of changes, production flourishes and a darkness and gloom that is always found in the best doom.
Elsewhere, “Easy Living” by Heep is echoed, Led Zep at their more morose is to be found and the downbeat grandeur of Sabbathcan be heard in “A Kiss (From The End Of The World)” before the strange outro of a title track closes the record.
This is another great record from Avatarium and one which places the band firmly in the upper echelons of doom outfits operating today. There is nothing to fault here. If you enjoyed the band's previous work, don't hesitate. If you have never heard the band, then this is as good a place as any to start. Great record.
In summary, Edling has lost none of his Midas touch here. The DoomsdayKingdom is a record that delivers in every way that is expected. It melds doom and trad metal to great effect and does so whilst sounding fresh and inspired, with a great cast of superior musicians. If you have any interest in any of Edling's previous bands, this is a must. If you are looking for some doom in the trad style, then absolutely pick this one up. A sterling success all around, then!
“The DoomsdayKingdom” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1. SilentKingdom(5:11)
2. The Never Machine (6:35)
3. A Spoonful Of Darkness (5:50)
4. See You Tomorrow (4:36)
5. The Sceptre (7:19)
6. Hand Of Hell (5:58)
7. The Silence (7:26)
8. The God Particle (9:17)
The Review:
Leif Edling is a name known to anyone with an interest in the doom genre. Via Candlemassand more recently Avatarium, he has written an impressive entry in the encyclopaedia of metal. With The DoomsdayKingdom's self titled debut he has added to his already stellar reputation. Where to start? Well, this is an impressive release which crosses doom with more traditional metal fare. Frankly, this is right up my street in terms of style. Having recruited Niklas Stalvind of Wolf, Edling has given listeners an idea of what to expect here.
Think Sabbathmeeting Angel Witch and you have a pretty good reference point. “SilentKingdom” comes with an impressive opening groove, while “The Never Machine” is a little darker in sound. “A Spoonful of Darkness” is doomier still, but without resorting to the crawling tempos beloved on Edling's original Alma mater.
Indeed, the first three tracks set the tone here; if you like them, the rest of the album will seem like a dream come true. It welds Sabbath, Priest and NWOBHM stylings to great effect. It rocks hard enough to keep your average trad metal fan's head nodding, but in tracks such as “See You Tomorrow” and “The Sceptre” it has enough maudlin darkness (the latter) and experimentation of sound (the former- a charming instrumental) to satisfy fans of Edling's past work.
The material on offer here is heavy for sure and the production is great- clear and thick at the same time. It sounds like every inch a modern doom/trad record, worthy of the names attached to it. There is more than enough texture to the sound as well- you can hear Hammondorgan in parts, there are acoustic guitars on the album, even keys as well. When the band picks up the pace on “Hand of Hell”, it sounds convincing and evokes the sounds of Troubleor mid period Paradise Lost.
There are two doom epics which close the record out: “The Silence” and “The God Particle”. Both are as heavy as lead and finish the album in fine style. There is light and shade to “The Silence”, as well as vocal histrionics from Stalvind, to go with the weighty riffage. The final statement of “The God Particle”is perhaps closer to Candlemass than the rest of the record, in terms of weight and mood. Its post nine minutes of gloom are an impressive way to finish the record.
In summary, Edling has lost none of his Midas touch here. The Doomsday Kingdom is a record that delivers in every way that is expected. It melds doom and trad metal to great effect and does so whilst sounding fresh and inspired, with a great cast of superior musicians. If you have any interest in any of Edling's previous bands, this is a must. If you are looking for some doom in the trad style, then absolutely pick this one up. A sterling success all around, then!
This is a fantastic doom release for walking around in the woods when everything is dead.This album deserves to be cranked, listened to on headphones in the dark with candles lit.
“For Doom the BellTolls” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1. For Doom The BellTolls
2. Twelve Bells Toll In Salem
3. This World Is Doomed
4. Draped In Sepulchral Fog
5. The Spines Of Saturn
6. Live Like An Angel, Die Like A Devil (Venom Cover)
The Review:
I’ve been a huge fan of Primordial for years, so when Dread Sovereignformed in 2013 (featuring Primordial vocalist Alan Averill) I was beyond excited. Their first full length, “All Hell’s Martyrs” was a fantastic doom release loaded with memorable riffs and catchy vocal melodies. When it came out in 2014, it was a frequent listen for me. Fast forward to 2017; Dublin’s doom trio have put together their second full length effort, and it’s dripping with evil atmosphere, soaring vocals, and huge riffs.
Compared to “All Hell’s Martyr’s”, “For Doom the Bell Tolls” sounds a bit more vintage and less noisy.Fans of the occult/psychedelic doom genre may take notice and appreciate this approach more than their previous release. The album starts with an atmospheric intro loaded with bells, feedback, and then builds into the effort’s longest track “Twelve Bells Toll in Salem.”The song starts with pure Sabbath-worship riffs pushed with soaring vocals and layered psychedelic guitar leads which develop into slow bass-distorted drum/bass/vocal sections.The sound of this track just oozes with imagery of witchcraft, occult symbolism, and appreciation for evil. Definitely my favorite from the album.
Track 3, “This World is Doomed” starts with a classic heavy metal and more upbeat feel. The vocals and guitar riffs are more traditional in song structure, but this is a welcome addition providing the listener with a doom track perfect for pushing your speakers. There’s a brief break with “Draped in Sepulchral Fog.”A two and a half minute atmospheric song loaded with atmosphere and feedback providing a build up to “The Spines of Saturn,” which is the final original song of the record. Clocking in around 8 minutes, the track has the feel of an 80s traditional doom song with loud catchy jam sections and upbeat repeated sections with vintage synths in the background.The vocals overall in the intro provide more texture/melody than anything but are a welcome addition to the sound. Halfway through the song, the instruments open up to massive reverb/chorus drenched vocal melodies which build to the familiar heavy sound in the beginning of the track. The album closes with a Venomcover of “Live Like an Angel, Die Like a Devil” which is a ripping track loaded with the lo-fi evil feel of the rest of the record.They did a fantastic job with this tune, and I can only imagine how huge this would sound live.
Dread Sovereignhave created another worthy addition to their discography which is their own brand of filthy lo-fi sounding doom dripping with memorable vocal melodies. My only gripe with this record is I feel like it is a little on the short side.I think another track would have rounded this album out nicely. This is a fantastic doom release for walking around in the woods when everything is dead.This album deserves to be cranked, listened to on headphones in the dark with candles lit.
“For Doom the Bell Tolls” is available to buy/preorder here
Hailing from New England, Black Tomb recently brought to the table their debut self titled release just in time for the Halloween season. Black Tomb are a band that brings the darkness out of you and your mind can’t help but get lost in powerful riffs drenched in the fumes of hatred and despair while the fuzz shakes your core and vibrates the cavity causing all vital organs to hit the floor with a splat, while you bang your head against the wall from sheer madness.
Their debut is certainly something very special, it is album you’ll want to play very very loud, with little regard to your own mental stability.The band have virtually obliterated the doom scene this year with their scuzzed up tones, securing a deal with via Totem Cat Records in process, as well as slot on the upcoming Dreadfestin Leeds, England next year.
Today we asked Cryptworm from the band to turn his amp all the way up to 11 and choose his top 5 sludge doom albums in our weekly feature “11 is one Louder”.
Acid Witch – “Stoned” (2010)
There's nothing better than punks playing doom. Unless it's punks playing death-doom with 80's horror keys behind it. There's nothing better than that. Every Acid Witch release is perfect - from the artwork, down to the maniacal witch laughter. This was the first album I heard by them and I was blown away that anyone could turn old school doom influences like Trouble and Witchfinder General into this very cohesive Frankenstein monster of death metal, doom, and punk rock. They continue to pull it off every time. Just like the heavy metal greats, they only take themselves as seriously as they need to, which leaves a lot of room for incredible Fastwaycovers and throwing spider webs into crowds.
Witchfinder General – “Death Penalty” (1982)
This record. This is one that changed my life when I was younger. There is zero fat on this record. Front to back, it's one of the best things I've ever listened to. The song writing is brilliant and the structure of the album kills as well. It's a wild ride of perfect NWOBHM and old school doom that reminds you just how important it is to keep your songs catchy. One of a kind.
Serpentine Path – “Emanations” (2014)
The only downside to this record is that the serpent worshiping cult creatures on the cover aren't in the band. This thing drags you down from the very start with ruthless oppression. I love when an album just gets straight to the point like this one. Incredibly crushing tones are achieved and the vocals are mixed so well underneath those commanding riffs. One of the most menacing examples of sludge ridden doom.
Candlemass – “Nightfall” (1987)
One of the greatest things to ever happen... What can I say about Candlemass that hasn't already been said? 'Nightfall' is jam packed with epic hymns for the melancholy souls of doom. It makes you feel like you're trapped in the saddest Dungeons & Dragons campaign you could ever imagine.
Electric Wizard – “We Live” (2004)
The most obvious for last... I feel like not including Wizard on this list would be me trying too hard to come up with something different. To me, Wizardis to doom what Sabbathis to heavy metal. 'We Live' is dripping with hatred and despair. There's no phoning it in here. This is genuine discontent for the world. The haunting and repetitious leads just creep under your skin. They keep this record monumentally heavy and you can't forget a single part of it.
You can check out Black Tomb below and their album “Black Tomb”is available digitally here
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