Bloody Hammers - Under Satan's Sun

Doom/Gothic/Stoner Metal
Napalm Records
2014










1. The Town That Dreaded Sundown
2. Spearfinger
3. Death Does Us Part
4. The Moon-Eyed People
5. Second Coming
6. Welcome To The Horror Show
7. Under Satan's Sun
8. Dead Man's Shadow On The Wall
9. The Last Alarm
10. Necromancer

Under Satan's Sun is Blood Hammer's third album, but my first experience with them. I tend to watch the new albums coming out and give them a little preview if the general genre/style sounds like something I might be into and I liked what I heard from Bloody Hammers well enough. I've been digging some of the groovier doom/stoner metal lately and this fit the general bill so now it's time to give the full album a shot.

Listening to Under Satan's Sun it's a little difficult to pigeon hole Bloody Hammers into one particular style as I hear a lot of different elements. Their sound is definitely cohesive, but I hear everything from elements of creeping doom metal, to smooth gothic ambiance, to stoner metal fuzziness and groove, to subdued melodic passages. Nothing wrong with a unique fusion or an adventurous sound and I really dig what I hear on this release. Kind of like if you threw Hour Of 13, Kyuss, and The Bronx Casket Co. into a blender. This is dark, but quirky and fun at the same time like the audio equivalent of an old, vaguely cheesy horror movie. There have been a lot of these kind of occult rock/metal sort of bands springing up of late, but more than not I've been digging the trend and I don't think Bloody Hammers sounds precisely like any other I've heard. To the average traditional metal fan I can see where this might be a bit challenging and/or outside the box of the old school, but personally I find them refreshing. This is dark and atmospheric yet full of hooks and downright groovy while keeping a satisfactory level of heaviness.

Amusingly I didn't realize until I looked up the band members that I have actually heard and liked the vocalist Anders Manga before though in a different context. I remember I first heard and enjoyed his gothic/electronica stuff when I came across his cover of Mercyful Fate's Gypsy. Too funny for me and cool to hear him doing more with his obvious appreciation of metal. On Bloody Hammers he still sounds kind of gothic, but not as deep, cleaner, and with a little more edge which works well the music.

I've gotta say that I'm really digging this album. If you like dark, creeping metal and occult/horror themes than this is pretty damn enjoyable stuff. Don't expect high intensity, shredding traditional metal, but the atmospheres and grooves here are exceptional.

Highlights: Spearfinger, Under Satan's Sun, The Moon Eyed People, Dead Man's Shadow On The Wall

Rating - 4.0/5

Castle - Under Siege

Doom/Heavy Metal
Van Records
2014










1. Distant Attack
2. Be My Ghost
3. A Killing Pace
4. Pyramid Lake
5. Powersigns
6. Labyrinth Of Death
7. Temple Of The Lost
8. Evil Ways

Castle are a band that I've very much been liking since I first heard their debut and I'd have to count their third album as one of my more anticipated albums of the year. I just really dig their occult themes, dark feel, and the way they keep their songs moving with more of a heavy/traditional pace while still keeping that doom feel in place. I have to say that I was also impressed seeing this band live on their first tour and being able to deliver live always helps my opinion of a band along.

Even before listening to this album I had one gripe immediately though so I'm just going to throw it right out there. The album clocks in at a total of just under 34 minutes. It's true that Blacklands was also just over 35 minutes, but there it is. I felt like, in retrospect, I let the last album slide a bit on that and two albums of that length is a little on the weak side. I may also be noticing it because the Sabaton album I just wrote a review for had the same damn problem. If you're going to make something virtually EP length, it should be at those kind of prices and not advertised as a full length album. At least not these days where total album length is generally considerably longer. Ok I said it. Now we can move forward.

Listening to this one, Under Siege is not the sort of album that offers much in the way of surprises. As is often the case, this kind of evens out as being both the strength and the weakness of the release. The sound is very enjoyable for sure with it's earthy, haunting vocals and somewhat raw, dark sound but the songs here are also pretty familiar to anyone who has heard the other two albums. The sound hasn't worn too thin yet and this makes for the kind of album that's pretty good for fans of the band and a little bit more driving doom, but it also doesn't break enough new ground or get adventurous enough in the songwriting to really qualify as a real highlight of the year sort of an album. Basically, this one offers up material that's familiar enough to easily be accepted by fans, but not new enough to elicit a great deal of excitement. The driving pace is there and the haunting atmosphere is too, but there's not a lot of excitement in this. The best songs of the album tend to be more based on memorable vocal passages like on Be My Ghost or a rhythm that sticks in your head like the roll of Temple Of The Lost than anything remarkably new.

Overall, if you like that kind of energized doom with an occult feel than this is still above par stuff. I just wouldn't expect a lot of surprises or progression of the band's sound if you've heard them before. If you haven't, this is certainly a good female fronted doom/heavy band and worth checking out. Their sound is still recognizable and strong and that goes a long way to carrying this album to a good rating. It's an enjoyable listen and that's good enough for a third album. I can just feel the moment approaching when the band is going to have to get a little more adventurous/creative with the songs to stay relevant. And please Castle... Maybe a little bit longer albums/more songs?

Highlights: Be My Ghost, Temple Of The Lost, Evil Ways

Rating - 3.5/5

Avatarium - Avatarium

Doom Metal

Nuclear Blast

2013

1. Moonhorse

2. Pandora's Egg

3. Avatarium

4. Boneflower

5. Bird Of Prey

6. Tides Of Telepathy

7. Lady In The Lamp

It's both great and frustrating when a band goes out on a high note like Candlemass did. You never want to see a band linger and put out a bunch of crap albums, etc, but it's tough to see a band go that's still damn good. Well, following that Leif Edling has returned with his new project Avatarium. With how hungry Candlemass left me for more doomy goodness I was pretty excited to hear what Leif could do with this band. Throw in Marcus Jidell who played guitar on the Everygrey's The Glorious Collision, Lars Skold who's done drums for Tiamat, and Carl Westholm who's done keyboards for Krux and you certainly have my full attention. the x factor here is unknown female vocalist Jennie-Ann Smith, but I did like the idea of Leif Edling's doom and gloom benefiting from some atmospheric female vocals. A nice, different approach potentially.

Avatarium is much what I expected in a lot of ways. Certainly, Leif Edling's stamp is all over the riffs. His signature style is well intact and shows itself when those slow burn riffs roll in. This is on the dreary side for even Candlemass though and features less of the more power drive, up tempo stuff. Things get very mellow at times too as the heavy riffing lets up for some very melodic, almost folksy passages. Often the music will alternate between punishing doom riffs and lighter fare, which all paints a very somber picture. This is interesting stuff that carries a really bleak feel to it. Vocalist Jennie-Ann Smith is also the perfect choice for this as she's capable of wailing out some powerful projections above the heavier riffs and also brings it back nicely for the mellower passages. Sound-wise she reminds me a lot of Lana Lane and has a very rich, beautiful voice. She fits in seamlessly to the music Edling creates here and I have zero complaints from this relative unknown on vocals. I have a feeling everyone is going to remember her name now.

Highlights are everywhere here from the trade offs in Moonhorse to the shorter and more direct, yet still dark, Boneflower which keeps things going at more of a horror laced mid-pace. This one reminds me a little of the band Castle. Tides Of Telepathy is also an extremely good one which creeps along at a funeral procession's pace, but has all kinds of Black Sabbath-esque moodyness to it that I completely dig.

The bottom line is that Avatarium is extremely good at what it seeks to do. This is dreary, gloomy stuff that has the riffs to keep it heavy and the melodies/atmosphere to make it dark sounding as all hell. This is an extremely solid doom offering that should appeal to anyone who likes their doom slow and menacing. The Candlemass reminders are there, but this focuses on the creeping, slower side and it works for all involved. This is just different enough while keeping Edling's guitar trade marks and is one hell of a debut. I really look forward to hearing more from this band.

Highlights: Moonhorse, Boneflower, Tides Of Telepathy

Rating - 4.0/5

Trouble - The Distortion Field

Doom Metal

FRW Records
2013

1. When The Sky Comes Down

2. Paranoid Conspiracy
3. The Broken Has Spoken
4. Sink Or Swim
5. One Life
6. Have I Told You
7. Hunters Of Doom
8. Glass Of Lies
9. Butterflies
10. Sucker
11. The Greying Chill Of Autumn
12. Bleeding Alone (Instrumental/Interlude)
13. Your Reflection

Going into this new Trouble album I had little in the way of expectations. Hopes maybe, but the last time this band managed to scrape together an album in Simple Mind Condition I was left just utterly bored. After that miserable, half assed album the band had a lot to prove to me here. Certainly, I used to love Trouble, but the last release left me wondering if the band was capable of coming back from the dead. Not to mention I was unsure what to make of the loss of vocalist Eric Wagner. His performance on Simple Mind Condition may not have been very good, but he was also a key part of what made their other albums as good as they were.

Well, enter Kyle Thomas on vocals and from the first track he seems like an immediate improvement by simply wanting to be there. Eric Wagner just didn't seem like he showed up for Simple Mind Condition and that is not the case here. Also nice is the fact that Kyle doesn't just try to be an Eric Wagner clone and has his own spin on the Trouble sound. Overall, he comes off a bit heavier and gruffer, with less of that Zeppelin-esque screaming. Don't expect him to sound like you may have known him on Exhorder either though as he does balance heaviness and melody quite nicely. In a way this kind of reminds me of Phil Anselmo going from his Pantera style to a Down one. The vocals may have changed a bit from Wagner, but the change is not a bad one at all and I think the band benefits from a refreshing of their sound.

In terms of the songs, The Distortion Field starts off pretty ripping as things open up with a fair amount of speed and heaviness on When The Sky Comes Down. Kind of a nice kick in ass from the beginning with some good intensity, but also some slow down moments and a nice doomy sound to the riffs to remind you you're listening to Trouble. After this though things really start to get excellent as that the band dials it back a notch into some exceptional blues based grooves. Paranoid Conspiracy is just the sort of song that gets your head moving with stonery doom catchiness and both The Broken Has Spoken and Sink Or Swim follow suit. Really memorable stuff in the best tradition of Trouble and with a nice pace that is groovy, but not too slow. All of these tracks are total keepers and never drag.

After this excellent round of grooves, One Life slows it down a bit with a darker and doomier sound that is a welcome change of pace. The grooves are still there, but the pace is a little slower and there are some nice dark/melodic moments. I appreciate both the variation and the fact the band seems intent on making a complete experience. This is not a one trick album. Not to be forgotten is some of their more melodic, rock sounding stuff and that shows up on the following track, Have I Told You. This is a nice smoother, lighter tune, and once again I find myself appreciating the total package this album is offering. The songwriting here is adventurous and varied and it keeps things from getting stagnant.

Next up, things get heavier once again with Hunters Of Doom which speeds things up, brings a fair amount of aggression back to the mix, and comes together as another highlight. Following this, Glass Of Lies is decent, but a bit shouty and rough and both Butterflies and Sucker are decent groove tracks, but not quite as memorable as some of the material. Maybe a slight weak spot/filler-ish, but by no means bad either. Just not quite as inspired as what came before. I guess not every track can be a highlight. The Greying Chill Of Autumn fixes that though with kind of a dark, twisted feel that is different and interesting. I really dig this one and it certainly has a sound of it's own. Bleeding Alone is a bit of an intro that has a heart beat sort of sound to it so not much to report there. Closing out the album though is Your Reflection which is a good one with another nice, heavy groove.

I don't always like to go track by track on albums as I prefer giving more of an overall impression more than dissection, but this is the sort of album that deserves this treatment. There's a lot of creativity here and the songwriting is adventurous enough to warrant some individual write ups. This is not a by the numbers sort of album that sticks to just one sound and the depth here is what impresses me the most about this album. That and the fact the band has really come back from the brink. The Distortion Field is simply more than I could have hoped for. Trouble really bring their A game here and this is the classic Trouble I remember. I have to give it to the entire band, but once again I have to give a special mention to Kyle Thomas for staying true to the Trouble sound, but at the same time bringing his own touch. Very nicely done. Trouble and Doom/Stoner metal fans need to hear this.

Highlights: Paranoid Conspiracy, The Broken Has Spoken, Sink Or Swim, Hunters Of Doom, The Greying Chill Of Autumn.

Rating - 4.0/5

Black Sabbath - 13

Doom/Heavy Metal
Vertigo Records

2013

1. End Of The Beginning
2. God Is Dead?
3. Loner
4. Zeitgeist
5. Age Of Reason
6. Live Forever
7. Damaged Soul
8. Dear Father

After all this time, it has happened. Black Sabbath have gotten back together with Ozzy to give it another go. If this news had come sooner, I'm sure I would have been excited, but at this point I can't muster much enthusiasm going in. I mean, we're talking about a singer Way past his prime here and after hearing how Dio could Still deliver with Heaven & Hell this just seemed like an inevitable let down. I've heard Ozzy and also Black Sabbath live a bunch of times and his voice wasn't very good in like 2002. Also, Ozzy hasn't made a good album since 1995 IMO and some fans wouldn't even give em that much. Personally, I liked most of Ozzmosis. Just didn't see much of a way this could live up to the past Ozzy fronted albums considering the old, gibbering Ozzy of today. Still, it's hard to ignore a new Black Sabbath album so of course I had to give it a shot.

Listening to 13 it definitely sounds like Sabbath. I mean Iommi's signature style is there in the creeping riffs and the music is about what one would expect of Sabbath with Ozzy at the front. I really did not find this album particularly surprising in any way and maybe that is the problem. Everything here just sounds so predictable... so much like past Ozzy Sabbath songs... but with absolutely no fire. Ozzy seems to speak his way through the album and none of the songs really sound like new songs. There's just nothing to really set the material apart as anything past "Well, it sounds like Sabbath". Simply put, this does not sound like a creative effort or someone's art. This sounds like a bunch of old guys trying to sound like they used to because they're not really sure what else to do and afraid to take even the slightest chance.

I can understand the pressure to make this sound like the classics, but the problem is there just doesn't seem to be any song deeper in thought than "this has to sound like the past". Almost like they're so scared to make something to tarnish the legacy that this album just had to work off old cliches. With no real new songwriting ideas everything just kinda plods past me, generating little more than a sigh here and there. This doesn't sound like people excited about crafting new, exciting music. This sounds like Ozzy reading from a script to a bunch of leftover Sabbath riffs. There was a time when Sabbath was a groundbreaking creative force and their songs on the same album could sound wildly different. Nothing here however has any identity of it's own and Ozzy's vocals are about as free of passion as a vocal performance could possibly be.

I wish I could even summon the energy to write more about this, but I don't think I can. I could never summon the energy to write about this track by track because there's little to write. I kinda feel like I imagine Iommi must have going back to Ozzy. I feel like I have to make this review, not like I want to. This isn't incredibly good or bad... 13 just comes across like a half hearted effort someone would put in at a really shitty job they have to do to just to get a paycheck. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't feel the need to pick this apart because I don't care. 13 seems like some big label's idea of what a new Sabbath album fronted by that guy from the Osbournes, the prince of darkness, had to sound like.

There was a time when Sabbath was hugely influential to a genre, but past glories don't make an album. If someone like Sabbath can't make an album to rival the many doom bands (and others) whom they've inspired than a new Sabbath album has little place in the genre. This is pretty much for people who just need some Sabbath nostalgia in this reviewer's opinion. Myself... I could do without it. I don't hate it, but that's not exactly enough to make me run out and buy an album. Heaven & Hell felt like a passionate, powerful release. The fire and intensity drove the release to real heaviness and power. This sounds like the audio equivalent of an easily digested idea from an advertising firm meant not to offend anyone and sell a brand name. That frankly is not what metal is about to me. I'm more an Ozzy Sabbath fan than a Dio Sabbath fan in terms of the old albums, but at least Dio had a legitimate passion for the music and was in touch with the metal scene. I imagine Ozzy literally propped up in the studio while recording this. Meanwhile, Iommi sitting there wondering when his check arrives and why he couldn't escape the pressure of doing another Sabbath album with Ozzy as the vocalist. I think there's a very good reason why this took so long to happen. Iommi didn't really want to do this and it shows. Ozzy's not the same guy who sung those albums back when and that shows even more. If I had to sum this album up in one word it would be Meh.

Highlights: Live Forever, God Is Dead

Rating - 2.5/5

Memory Garden - Doomain

Doom/Heavy Metal
Metal Blade
2013

1. The Evangelist
2. Latent Lunacy
3. Daughters Of The Sea
4. Barren Lands
5. Violate & Create
6. Doomain
7. The King Of The Dead
8. A Diabolical Mind
9. Misfortune

I've always liked Memory Garden, but it's also pretty surprising when they actually put out something. Since Mirage in 2000 they've only been able to muster two albums so the band has kind of become an afterthought for me. Still, good music is good music and I like the band's approach to doom that incorporates some more upbeat and direct influence from power and straight up heavy metal. One can only hope that Doomain is worth another 5 year wait. Worth mentioning is that there is a limited edition with a whole lot of bonus material, but since it's limited and is pretty much made up of covers and old songs I won't dive into that here.

Listening to Doomain, one thing is for sure, and that is this band can open an album. The Evangelist's pounding rhythm and wails are heavy as fuck and damn epic. Seriously, this is one immediately likeable and damn near perfect doom song with a hint of power that brings to mind bands like Candlemass. If you don't like this song, I don't understand you.

One song does not an album make though and their last album Carnage Carnival started off similarly and then never quite lived up to the first track. Doomain fares much better however and the band is pretty on throughout the album. Latent Lunacy isn't quite as exciting and is bit more typical, but it's not a bad track at all and things get much more exciting quickly with Daughters Of The Sea. This one is another sure highlight which is fairly upbeat and features some nice, majestic sounding backing vocals and slow downs which add a nice level of complexity. We're not even close to done yet though as Barren Lands brings some backing death vocals to the mix which work surprisingly well for me considering I'm not the biggest fan of harsh vocals. They do provide a nice bit of variety here though and only add to the heaviness of this track. Then we have Violate & Create which starts off in ripping fashion, breaking from the doom mold a bit to add some good speed and some more variation to the experience.

From there out things aren't quite as exciting, but still pretty enjoyable. This is more a testament to the strength of tracks 1 to 5 than a knock at anything after it. The album remains solid with a couple more typical, but enjoyable doom tracks in Doomain and A Diabolical Mind, King Of The Dead which is a bit more aggressive. Misfortune is a bit of an instrumental outro and fairly forgettable, but ok for what it is.

Overall, this has some damn fine songs on it and everything holds up pretty well. The highlights are amazing and even the lesser tracks are good stuff. I'd recommend this to fans of bands like Candlemass and Solitude Aeturnus or anyone who likes their doom metal with epic, melodic wails and some more upbeat moments. Now, if the band would just release albums more often I'd be happy.

Highlights: The Evangelist, Daughters Of The Sea, Barren Lands, Violate & Create

Rating - 4.0/5

Cathedral - The Last Spire

Doom Metal
Rise Above

2013

1. Entrance To Hell
2. Pallbearer
3. Cathedral Of The Damned
4. Tower Of Silence
5. Infestation Of Grey Death
6. An Observation
7. The Last Laugh
8. This Body, Thy Tomb

Well, here it is, Cathedral's last album. It's always sad to see a band I've liked over the years coming to an end, but I had some mixed feelings going into this one. I really did not like their last double album, The Guessing Game at all and it left me with serious questions about if the band had another album in them. Sometimes bands decide to hang it up a wee bit too late and this seemed like it could be the case here. I guess all good things must come to an end. It's just a matter of if it would be on Cathedral's terms or if the decision was kind of made for them.

I think the best I can say after listening to The Last Spire is I can see what they were going for and it's better than The Guessing Game. What The Last Spire seems to try to do is get back to the band's more doomy roots. This is an album loaded with long tracks and moves along at a funeral doom sort of pace. I get it and the sound/atmosphere of the album isn't bad.

The trudging nature of this album is so total though that often The Last Spire seems like it would make better background/soundtrack material than an album. All the tracks seem sort of subdued and perhaps too mired in their own atmosphere. Things just try too hard to be Dooooooom and the band seems to kinda forget who they are and have been since like their second album.

I just don't hear a lot of good grooves or creativity in these songs. The thing that made songs from their early catalogue like Ride or Enter The Worms good for me is the driving groove behind the songs that worshiped at the altar of Sabbath and the like. That is the kind of material I would have liked Cathedral to get back to and go out on. This simply put doesn't have it and pretty much all the songs drag on for what seems like forever. Songs fail to distinguish themselves from each other for me and I feel like these tracks are bloated just for the sake of appearing more traditional. Add in an intro that just keeps saying "bring out your dead" over and over and over again and a random bit of laughing on track 7 and you just have a whole lot of time that feels wasted.

Basically, what you end up with here is competent, slow and long doom songs that sound pretty good, but overstay their welcome and never have that riff that hits it home or that sort of evil creeping feel that a song like Enter The Worms brought to the table. I know I've mentioned that song already, but really if the band wanted to get back to a more doomy, not quite as stoner-ish sound than The Ethereal Mirror would be the bar to measure this album against for me. This simply put doesn't reach that sort of quality. This is an ok album overall, but one lacking in Great highlights and these tracks all feel bloated/flawed. Decent by funeral doom standards, not great by early Cathedral ones. I'll always have a place in my listening for Cathedral and they've made some great albums, but the band is done and it's probably good they agree. I'd say they probably should've went out on a high note with The Garden Of Unearthly Delights.

Highlights: There are good moments in the tracks, but all of them seem a bit flawed. Mostly in their length.

Rating - 3.0/5

Castle - Blacklands

Heavy/Doom Metal
Van Records

2012

1. Ever Hunter
2. Corpse Candles
3. Storm Below The Mountain
4. Blacklands
5. Curse Of The Priests
6. Venus Pentagram
7. Alcatraz
8. Dying Breed

Blacklands marks the second album from California based doom/heavy metalers Castle and it is an album I've been looking forward to. Just last year I first heard this band and they are a fairly young one as that was their debut release. What the debut brought was a nice retro, stripped down, and dirty sound that mixed traditional heavy metal and doom into an occult themed rocker. Always nice to have some new blood in the scene and their debut, In Witch Order, left me wanting more. You don't hear a lot of no frills, dark metal like this these days.

Listening to Blacklands I can't help but think this sounds kind of like the soundtrack to some 70s/80s occult/satanist themed horror movie. Vocalist Elizabeth Blackwell is fully capable of rocking out, but also has a haunting sort of vibe to her at times and the music just conjures a great dark vibe. Think a little bit of Hellion, mixed with a little King Diamond for flavor (minus the falsettos), and a little Cathedral meets Black Sabbath. This is a bit too upbeat and traditional to call strictly doom, but the influence is obvious and the music just goes for raw, dark, and heavy. Overall, I'm very satisfied with this release, but if I had to nitpick there would be a couple things. At times things can get a little familiar as the tracks don't have a Huge amount of variation, but I do think there is enough. I can just feel the need for this band to expand and maybe even polish their sound a bit more in the future. Nitpick number two belongs to guitarist/vocalist Mat Davis, who might be better off sticking to the guitarist tag. His gruff vocals aren't bad, but honestly they don't seem necessary as Elizabeth just has a much better sound. They're not bad and open pop up occasionally, but they don't really add much to the band's sound. These are just as I said though, nitpicks. Castle does a lot more things right than wrong and their sound is pretty killer.

Basically, this band continues to follow the sound they started on the debut, In Witch Order, and it still sounds good. If you heard their last and liked it then this is certainly worthy. If you have not and like traditional with flavors of doom and darkness then you should check this out. This fills a nice spot in my collection that needed new blood. I really think this band is onto something great and I look forward to hearing more material in the future.

Highlights: Corpse Candles, Blacklands, Ever Hunter

Rating - 3.5/5

Saint Vitus - Lillie: F-65

Doom Metal
Season Of Mist

2012

1. Let Them Fall
2. The Bleeding Ground
3. Vertigo (instrumental)
4. Blessed Night
5. The Waste Of Time
6. Dependence
7. Withdrawl (Instrumental)

It's been a long time since anyone had new Saint Vitus to look forward to. Saint Vitus is simply a classic name in the subgenre of doom metal and probably rivaled only by Pentagram in terms of the biggest and most influential band in American doom metal. All in all, I'm not a huge doom metal guy and this subgenre makes up a fairly minor slice of my total collection, but I do enjoy it when done right. This band has pretty much always done it right in my opinion and they are among the top tier of their chosen style. If you even slightly like doom I think a new Saint Vitus album has to get your attention.

Well, now that I've sung their praises I think an immediate nitpick/disclaimer is in order and that is regarding album length. Around 34 minutes is pretty meager in this day and age. Especially when you consider that we have two instrumental numbers here which feel a bit like padding on a very bare bones release and an excessively long outro on the song Dependence. It's true that they've released albums of just about this length in the past, but this is even a hair shorter than anything they've done previously and I've come to expect a little more bang for my buck. When other bands are just offering More good material on an album it has to be a consideration in the rating. If I'm not rating an album based on the amount of good material than what am I really rating?

Now, with that filed in the complaint department... lets get to the material shall we? Well, it's hard to fault the album too incredibly much when the songs are this damn good. It seems like in all this down time Saint Vitus has neither changed nor missed a step. This is just such a strong collection of groove and atmosphere that you've gotta love it. Absolutely classic Saint Vitus from start to finish. The vocals give everything an epic dirge feeling while the music plods along in a great mix of downbeat heaviness and groove. There is also just the right amount of upbeat moments to keep this from getting too stagnant with pickups like the end of The Bleeding Ground and the more energetic groove of Blessed Night. Basically, Lillie: F-65 is exactly what I would expect and want out of Saint Vitus in terms of sound and quality of songwriting. This is the sort of doom metal that reminds me of how good the genre can be and is in the best tradition of early Sabbath. Lillie: F-65 is one monstrously heavy album in a slow, dark, and very methodical fashion.

In the end there is a lot to be happy about here. This album is in the finest tradition of Saint Vitus and sure to please fans. I do think the length of this album will hold the album back a bit in terms of my end of the year rankings, but it's impossible for me to fault the album too heavily. I debated back and forth if this album should be marked down a notch to a 3.5 sheerly based on length, but in the end I've gotta go with quality over quantity and give it a 4.0. However, if they had delivered more of this quality, Lillie: F-65 might have been rated even higher. I find it's best to think of this one as a really high quality EP. Maybe something a little more Children Of Doom or Die Healing length would be good next time guys, but none the less... Welcome back and thanks for this classic slice of doom.

Highlights: Let Them Fall, The Bleeding Ground, Blessed Night

Rating - 4.0/5

Paradise Lost - Tragic Idol

Doom Metal
Century Media

2012

1. Solitary One
2. Crucify
3. Fear Of Impending Hell
4. Honesty In Death
5. Theories From Another World
6. In This We Dwell
7. To The Darkness
8. Tragic Idol
9. Worth Fighting For
10. The Glorious End

My expectations had to be high going into this new one from Paradise Lost. Lately, the band has made sort of a habit out of outdoing themselves and releasing heavier, doomier albums. Certainly, a trend I can appreciate. I've always enjoyed Paradise Lost's albums, but this back to the roots approach has been fantastic. Few artists do heavy and somber like Paradise Lost.

Tragic Idol pretty much delivers more of the same. This album does a great job of once again grounding the band in probably their most popular sound. Tragic Idol, along with Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us and Requiem, sounds like a journey of a band rediscovering itself. Really, these albums have been the logical continuation of the Draconian Times album that never happened. It's what the fans asked for and while it took awhile... it's what we are getting now.

From the rougher vocals to the slow and methodical heaviness, there is just such a great feeling about Tragic Idol. There's no big changes from the previous couple albums, but that's perfectly fine by me. This is just a band doing what they do best and the songwriting once again hits home. As much as I've always like Paradise Losts's releases, this is exactly the sound I want this band doing. The gothic vibe is still there and takes the frontseat every once in awhile, but make no mistake... Paradise Lost are doom metal again and it is good.

In conclusion, Tragic Idol is just the sort of album that is a must have for fans. The is the kind of release that fans ask for... a band in their best, classic sound. Trust me... I am one. I would also recommend this one to any fans of gothic/doom metal.

Highlights: Honesty In Death, Crucify, Tragic Idol, To The Darkness

Rating - 4.0/5

Hour Of 13 - 333

Doom Metal
Earache

2012

1. Deny The Cross
2. The Burning
3. Rite Of Samhain
4. Spiral Vacuum
5. Who's To Blame?
6. Sea Of Trees
7. Lucky Bones

333 marks my first experience with Hour Of 13, though not one of it's members. I've always liked singer Phil Swanson in Vestal Claret and Seamount so I'm getting around to checking him out here too. Considering the previously mentioned bands are quality doom metal I expected much the same here.

One thing I liked about Hour Of 13 is they manage to sound raw and just a bit retro without coming off as cheesy. A lot of times when bands try to sound rawer with modern tech it just sounds contrived, but I don't get that impression from 333. The raw, stripped down vibe just seems appropriate for the sort of dark, occult vibe they go for. Two bands which I'm strongly reminded of are Pagan Alter and Witchfinder General. Pagan Alter particularly comes to mind vocally as Phil Swanson's delivery is fairly nasal, but this is not a complaint at all and works with the music. There are far worse comparisons I could draw after all. Basically, what we have here is classic sounding doom metal drawing on some old school influences while utilizing some nice groove guitar and plenty of dark atmosphere.

Overall, if you like doom metal like the bands I mentioned than this should be pretty satisfying. Nothing here reinvents the wheel, but Hour Of 13 are pretty good at the sound they seek. If you want something with groove and a dark vibe that draws on classic influences than this is solid.

Highlights: Rite Of Samhain, Deny The Cross, Spiral Vacuum

Rating - 3.5/5

Candlemass - Psalms For The Dead

Doom Metal
Napalm Records

2012

1. Prophet
2. The Sound Of Dying Demons
3. Dancing In The Temple (Of The Mad Queen Bee)
4. Waterwitch
5. The Lights Of Thebe
6. Psalms For The Dead
7. The Killing Of The Sun
8. Siren Song
9. Black As Time

Well, this is already a sad day. It's the day I listen to the last new material from Candlemass. Seriously, this seems like odd timing considering they found a great new vocalist in Robert Lowe not so long ago. This will only be the third and the last album he sings on for this band. I had hoped for more material, but I guess this will have to do.

I can't decide whether it's a great thing or a horrible thing when a band's last album is one of their best ever. Or how about one of the best doom metal albums I've ever heard? It's odd to have the reaction of loving this album and cursing the fact it's the last one at the same time.

Forgetting the fact we get no more Candlemass, this album is freakin amazing. There is nothing non-badass about Psalms For The Dead. From the fantastic doomy titles/lyrics to the punishing riffs, gloomy atmosphere, great variation within the songs, and killer solos... there's absolutely nothing to not like. Not to mention the rather awesome melodramatic wailing of Lowe. This is pure epic doom and everything resonated with me immediately. I think the only moment where this album steps over the top for just a second is the long spoken intro on Black As Time. Could have done without the a little over 1:30 of padding there (plus a little outro at the end), but it is out of around 50 minutes of killer music.

Not much more to say than that. If you like Candlemass and/or doom metal you should not hesitate to listen to and own this. Talk about going out on a high note. This is about as near perfection as you can get from a classic band. Psalms For The Dead is kind of hogging all the awesome. Fun fact... only the second time I've given out a 5/5 rating in my years of reviewing. Please let them do a US tour before they go away.

Highlights: Prophet, The Sound Of Dying Demons, Siren Song, Waterwitch, The Lights Of Thebe, Psalms For The Dead

Rating - 5.0/5

Pentagram - Last Rites

Doom Metal
Metal Blade

2011

1. Treat Me Right
2. Call The Man
3. Into The Ground
4. 8
5. Everything's Turning To Night
6. Windmills And Chimes
7. American Dream
8. Walk In The Blue Light
9. Horseman
10. Death In 1st Person
11. Nothing Left
12. All Your Sins - Reprise

Pentagram are a classic name in American doom metal and I've liked them well enough over the years. The only problem with this band is they're not a very consistent producer of new material to say the least. Then when they do release music half of it is re-recordings of their old stuff. You've gotta admit there is a lot of living off past glories with this band. I like to call this band disease Diannoism, but at least their music is better.

Now let's get down to the music and the album. This is pretty enjoyable I have to say. If you want a groovy American stoner/doom album than you could do a lot worse. This isn't exactly anything new in many ways, but I like the sound and the songs are good if sometimes familiar. This isn't really anything to actually measure up to the band in their classic period, but fans of the band will find some worthy material here. If you want to sit back and relax with somewhat retro sounding groove stuff than you could do worse than this. Probably a good album to enjoy something green to.

To sum this album up... it's Pentagram and it ain't bad. If you like this band and stoner/doom stuff than this is pretty cool. Not anything to bring the band back to the forefront and maybe not the full original album some fans are craving, but a good sounding listen. Basically a good album if you don't read into it/overanalyze it too much.

Highlights: Call The Man, Treat Me Right, Windmills And Chimes

Rating - 3.5/5

Lake Of Tears - Illwill

Heavy/Doom Metal
AFM

2011

1. Floating In Darkness
2. Illwill
3. The Hating
4. U.N.S.A.N.E.
5. House Of The Setting Sun
6. Behind The Green Door
7. Parasites
8. Out Of Control
9. Taste Of Hell
10. Midnight Madness

Lake Of Tears are one of those bands out there that I've always felt are underrated. The amount I enjoy this band is not even close to the small amount of press this band gets, etc. I can sort of see where this band could be a band you get or you don't though. The vocals are kind of an acquired taste and the band's style has shifted fairly dramatically at times from heavier, slower doom oriented music to keyboard driven material that was only borderline metal. Recently with Black Brick Road and Moons and Mushrooms the guitar presence has come back and the band has formed themselves into a sort of melodic sound that is a bit on the gothy sound, but heavier in nature.

Illwill is the sort of album I found hard to review, because it can be all over the map. There are songs here with a melodic flow that seems almost gothic like U.N.S.A.N.E, there are songs which are fast enough to seem almost thrashy like The Hating, and there are songs which are sort of both at once. An example of that would be Floating In Darkness which has some fairly aggressive riffs at times and then works itself into some nice melodic passages. Then you have a slower gothier number like the ballad-ish track House Of The Setting Sun. One thing I don't think anyone can say is that this album is not diverse in it's songwriting.

In a way, Illwill represents Lake Of Tears pretty well with it's genre defying sound and eclectic nature. Overall, this is less polished than their last release in sound as it doesn't have that smooth kind of gothy/melodic production. I think this benefits the vibe of the music and ties it all together into a sort of aggressive and dark soundscape. What this release sounds like to me is a truly dark experience where there is both shouts of anger and depression involved.

It's hard for me to compare this release to much of anything. The closest thing I can come up with is Paradise Lost since they too dabbled in both doom and more gothic sounds. Think of all of Paradise Lost's sounds mixed into one and you're half way there. Although they are nowhere near a soundalike, Nevermore comes to mind a bit as well just because they have a similar ability to be both dark and heavy at times and somber at others. If the idea of doom metal that can be fast at times and gothic at others appeals to you than this could be to your liking.

Highlights: U.N.S.A.N.E., Floating In Darkness, Behind The Green Door, Illwill

Rating - 4.0/5

Castle - In Witch Order

Doom/Heavy Metal
Van Records

2011

1. Descent Of Man
2. Fire In The Sky
3. Slaves Of The Pharao
4. Knife In The Temple
5. Total Betrayal
6. Spellbinder
7. Lost Queen
8. Shaman Wars
9. Sleeping Giant
10. Butcher Of Los Angeles
11. Devils Castle

Castle are a band I quite randomly decided to check out. I was just pouring over a list of bands and doom metal with a female vocalist sounded interesting enough. My search for new blood continues.

After listening to this, while seeing them classified as Doom, I'd call them more Doom/Heavy. There's definitely some more traditional metal in this and often things are fairly upbeat and aggressive. Musically, I get shades of bands like Manilla Road and perhaps some Hellion. There is a doomy vibe at times, especially on tracks like Sleeping Giant or Lost Queen, but really I'd just call this metal. The sound does have a certain dirty/fuzzy production which reminds me of some Doom, but also early American heavy metal. It wouldn't be hard to imagine this band doing shows in the mid to late 80s with bands like the above mentioned artists, Omen, etc.

Vocally, do not expect an extremely feminine or atmospheric approach as they come across a bit raspy at times and heavier than all that. Think more in terms of vocalists like Doro, Anne Boleyn of Hellion, or Leather Leone of Chastain. None of these are an exact sound match, but in the ballpark. The vocalist of Castle is not so much a screamer, but her rasp reminds me of them a bit. There are some moments where she can be slightly more mood establishing, but overall I find the singing direct and heavy. I don't hear a lot of range, but the vocals compliment the music just fine. There are some gruffer backing vocals as well that come in from time to time.

Overall, I'd say this a nice bit of straight forward, rocking heavy metal with some doom tones and kind of a retro sound. Pretty enjoyable stuff that got my head moving more than once as I listened. I'd recommend this to fans of traditional & doom metal fusions.

Highlights: Spellbinder, Slaves Of The Pharo, Devils Castle

Rating - 3.5/5

40 Watt Sun - The Inside Room

Doom Metal
Cyclone Empire

2011

1. Restless
2. Open My Eyes
3. Between Times
4. Carry Me Home
5. This Alone

40 Watt Sun are a band I decided to check out randomly because they're going to be playing a small club around here. I tend to watch the local venues and see if anything good might be coming around. Then when I saw a band listed as doom metal I figured I'd give em a look. Band coming around this way who plays doom metal off a debut album? Interesting. Also worth noting is the fact that a couple of the members hail from the band Warning and Patrick Walker is a cousin to Richard Walker of Solstice.

Listening to The Inside Room is kind of like listening to the soundtrack to someone's depression. This is not the sort of doom with a lot of heaviness or upbeat moments. There is an underlying heaviness, but I wouldn't say the sound of the guitar is really based on sounding that way. What we have here is doom metal which trudges forward with a sort of listless quality and an absolutely dreary vibe. Couple that with the sort of mournful/dirge-like sound of the vocals and it makes for a really moody sounding album. There is a sort of epic doom note to the music as well as 4 out of 5 songs check in at over 9 minutes. Though there are only 5 tracks the album is not really short. I'm hard pressed to come up with an exact comparison in terms of bands though Solstice, Solitude Aeturnus, and Abdullah come to mind at their more atmospheric and somber moments.

The Inside Room is the sort of album that establishes a mood and flows together nicely from track to track. If you want a really good, new doom band who delivers slow, somewhat mellow, and highly depressing stuff than this is for you. I could see listening to this to relax or when I'm really fuckin depressed. The feeling in this music really elevates it and makes it a top form debut. I was hard pressed to pick highlights as it is all good. I did however want to keep it to two since I didn't want to list more than half the album as a highlight. The Inside Room does make for a great total experience though.

Highlights: Restless, Carry Me Home

Rating - 4.0/5

Mirror Of Deception - A Smouldering Fire

Doom Metal
Cyclone Empire

2010

1. Isle Of Horror
2. The Riven Tree
3. Heroes Of The Atom Age (Interlude)
4. Bellwethers In Mist
5. Unforeseen
6. December (Interlude)
7. Lauernder Schmerz
8. Walking Through The Cloud
9. Leguano (Interlude)
10. Sojourner
11. The Flood And The Horses
12. Voyage Obsure

Mirror Of Deception aren't a band I'd count myself as a huge fan or follower of really, but I recalled reviewing their Shards album and thinking it was pretty decent so I decided to check this one out too. Shards was not a huge stand out for me, but it did strike me as decently executed epic sort of doom.

After listening to A Smouldering Fire I pretty much get the same impression. Not much seems to have changed for better or for worse. If you heard Shards than I'd predict your feelings towards this album will more or less be the same. This creeps along in typical doom fashion, but not in an overly slow way and focused more on soaring dirges than somber ones if that makes sense. The vocals are more towards the melodic end and the guitar whilst not uptempo is not so down tempo as to be totally droning. A lot of these songs do seem somewhat similar though and rarely break a predictable mold. Most of the tracks here I'd classify as pretty ok but also pretty standard. Occasionally the band does find a riff which has some standout qualities though like in Laurnder Schmerz, which is driven by a good energy lead.

I'd call this one another middle of the road release that will probably hold some appeal to fans of the (sub)genre, but it isn't likely to go much further than that. Still, if you like epic doom dirges you could do worse than checking this one out. The biggest problem I find here is the lack of standouts as one song tends to bleed into another. As an overall experience the listen isn't half bad though.

Highlights: Laurnder Schmerz, The Riven Tree

Rating - 3.0/5

Paradise Lost - Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us

Doom/Gothic Metal
Century Media

2009

1. As Horizons End
2. I Remain
3. First Light
4. Frailty
5. Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us
6. The Rise of Denial
7. Living With Scars
8. Last Regret
9. Universal Dream
10. In Truth

Paradise Lost's last album really took a step back for the band and that is by no means a bad thing. What Paradise Lost managed to do on In Requiem was recapture the spirit of their older doom metal days and bring a lot of heaviness back to the sound of the band. Certainly, that album reignited a lot of interest from the band from their older fans and I must say it was a great release. In Requiem really left me wondering what the band's next move would be and I looked forward to this one.

Now that I've listened to this album it's safe to say that Faith Divides Us - Death Unites us continues to move the band back to a more doom oriented and heavy sound. Really the band has blurred the line between doom and gothic metal again as this album conjures up memories of Icon and Draconian Times without sounding like a rehash. Something has just stirred Paradise Lost's interest in heavier music again and they continue to move in that direction with great results. There are definite moments of more somber, gothic material, but they are blended with heavy riffs in a way that most songs seem more towards the doom side. This is just a massive sounding album with plenty of heaviness to go around.

One sort of exception to the rule is the lead single which is probably the most gothic metal sounding track here. This is also a fantastic track in it's own right though and genuinely moving in it's dark atmosphere. Even this track does feature some heavier vocals that boost the power of it. I get such a great complete vibe from this album as the vocals have the diversity of atmosphere and heaviness and the music follows suit. Never a dull moment and Faith Divides Us - Death Unites us paints a complete picture of what a truly dark, heavy album should be.

Though I wouldn't call their recent albums a comeback as some have, seeing as I've always enjoyed their varying styles and albums, I would say that this is a really pleasing heavy album. If you like the older, classic Paradise Lost albums this is a must listen. I'd recommend this one to anyone who likes this sort of dark doom metal.

Highlights: Faith Divides Us - Death Units Us, I Remain, As Horizons End, First Light, The Rise Of Denial

Rating - 4.5/5

Heaven & Hell - The Devil You Know

Heavy/Doom Metal
Rhino

2009

1. Atom & Evil
2. Fear
3. Bible Black
4. Double the Pain
5. Rock & Roll Angel
6. The Turn of the Screw
7. Eating the Cannibals
8. Follow the Tears
9. Neverwhere
10. Breaking into Heaven

This new "debut" album from Heaven & Hell... or the new Black Sabbath as we know it is... gave me mixed feelings from the time it was announced. On one hand I have been waiting for Black Sabbath to do something worthwhile once again and on the other I've always been more of a fan of Ozzy era Sabbath than Dio and what followed. Certainly, I wanted to hope for a great new Sabbath album, but I approached this one with a degree of skepticism.

When I first started listening to The Devil You Know I thought I was in for a decent, but unremarkable album. Both Atom & Evil and Fear start off the album with a familiar doomy Black Sabbath sound but without a lot of anything memorable. Really these two tracks just plod along without much going on in the riffs are pretty typical. At this point I'd pretty much decided this was what to expect from the rest of the album and that it was Black Sabbath but not at their prime. These two songs basically just don't have the riffs and hooks that make for Great Sabbath and only good/decent Sabbath. So is this the bulk of the album? Is this to be a good, but unremarkable album?

No... no not at all. From the moment the riffs kick in after a slow intro in Bible Black this album does not let go at all. Holy fuck does this album pick up and hit you with nasty, heavy riffs galore. Whoever decided to put the two weakest tracks at the start of the album is either an idiot or a genius because everything else seems to crush you by comparison. The sound of this album becomes an immense beast and Dio just starts to wail. I'm just gonna come right out and say it... Black Sabbath or Heaven & Hell have come up with a new classic. The playoff between the great sounding guitar loaded with hooks, bass, and Dio at his best is nothing short of amazing. Picking highlights was probably the toughest part of writing this review. The worst this album has to offer are two tracks which are simply good and at best it blows my mind and makes me want to bang my head till it comes off.

It seems the kings have returned to claim their throne. I'd almost forgotten how awesome Iommi can be and the same gos for Dio considering how mediocre his solo career has turned. Stick with this both of you and never look back. It's time for Heaven & Hell.

Highlights: Bible Black, Double The Pain, Turn Of The Screw, Follow The Tears

Rating - 4.5/5

Candlemass - Death Magic Doom

Doom Metal
Nuclear Blast

2009

1. If I Ever Die
2. Hammer Of Doom
3. The Bleeding Baroness
4. Demon Of The Deep
5. House Of 1000 Voices
6. Dead Angel
7. Clouds Of Dementia
8. My Funeral Dreams

Death Magic Doom has to be up with my most anticipated albums of the year. Consider me both a fan of Candlemass and Solitude Aeturnus and the last album which brought Rob Lowe together with Candlemass kicked my ass. Going into this one I was expecting nothing but good.

After having listened to this I can't say I am disappointed in that it's a pretty good performance. However, I will say right off the bat that I don't think this one has quite the power of King Of The Grey Islands. It's hard for me to quite nail down why this one isn't as strong of a performance, but I think part of it has to do with the riffs. Really, what I like from much of Candlemass' songs is their ability to be doomy but have a nice roll and pace to them like the song Mirror, Mirror for instance. This one doesn't seem to quite have those memorable doom grooves that get the head moving and instead settles into a lot of very down tempo trudging. A little more pick up and go might've helped this album and I just don't hear any choruses that strike me as quite rivaling Lowe's wails of being emperor of the void, etc. Really, the only track that reminds me wholey of the last album is If I Ever Die which opens up the album with a ripping pace and some excellent and memorable riffing. Other songs do make their own impressions though as Hammer Of Doom does have a subtle creepiness to it and Dead Angel picks things up a bit in speed and energy.

Overall, this is a pretty enjoyable listen and certainly a worthy Candlemass album. I just don't think this one is a year topper like King Of The Grey Islands. I'm still digging Lowe with Candlemass and what he brings to the band. Death Magic Doom just doesn't come off quite as strong in the songwriting department.

Highlights: If I Ever Die, Hammer Of Doom, Dead Angels

3.5/5