Iron Void - Doomsday

The modern doom movement has been flourishing for a few years now and has given us some truly great bands that pay homage to classic doom. Enter Iron Void from the UK. They actually date back to 1998 but it has just been recently that the band has been given the chance to release their music to the masses. 2014's self titled full length debut was a great slab of classic doom and they seemed to waste no time in creating a follow up album set to be released on October 5 titled Doomsday. The band so graciously gave me a sneak peak into this album for a review and I am glad they did because this solidifies them as a band that will leave it's mark on doom metal.

The opening and title track kicks things off epic style with seven and a half of slow pounding doom. Heavy riffs are what you find here along with vocals and a melody that is rather eerie feeling. The tempo picks up a little for a some nice 70s style soloing in the middle and a riff that has a really cool groove to it. "Path to Self Destruction" is an even stronger song that begins with some clean guitars that sound like something from an early Rush tune to this monster riff and eerie melody. This song could wind up being a top doom song for me. The solo is another one of those fuzzy 70s style solos that fits this music well. "The Devil's Daughter" comes right in after and just slays from beginning to end. Once again it starts off with some cool clean guitars before going into this infectious riff that brings to mind early Pentagram. This song has elements of proto-metal as well as traditional doom. This band is not afraid to show where it's roots lie.

To keep things interesting, this band does not confine itself to just slow epic doom. Songs like "The Gates of Hell" and "The Answer Unknown" actually have more in common with Venom or Motorhead than Cathedral but it still doom in it's atmosphere. Both are rather energetic numbers for doom songs but the riffs are heavy as fuck and the solos could have been done by Fast Eddie Clark 35 years ago. Normally something like that would not work but for some reason that radical shift in sound for a couple of songs gave this album some depth. I thought it worked well. "Colesseum" gets right back into the doom with it's heavy as fuck doom riffs and overall eerie atmosphere that dominates this album. The lead riffing is very melodic giving the song another element. This song could wind up being considered classic doom 20 years from now.

The album closes epic doom style with a seven and a half minute opus that just screams epic doom. As with a lot of this album, the different elements that make this band show, from the 70s proto-metal riffs and solos to the all out heavy as fuck epic doom riffing. This band's previous album made me take notice but this album has made me a fan. Putting two strong albums out with just over a year between releases shows that this band is on a mission. Anyone who loves classic doom or traditional metal should take notice of this band. I expect bigger things to come.

9.0/10

Serpent Warning - Serpent Warning

There seems to be a huge classic doom movement in Finland in the vein of Saint Vitus and Count Raven. Serpent Warning is one of those bands but the band has enough of their own identity to make them quite unique. Vocalist Samuli Pesonen has a great baritone sound to his voice giving this band it's unique sound. Sadly he jumped ship right before this, their self titled full length debut, was released. His replacement is a female vocalist which is quite the other end of the spectrum. We'll see what the future brings for this band but for now the focus is on this debut. What we have is some really well done classic doom that is loaded with killer riffing and enough atmosphere to make this thoroughly believable.

As I mentioned before, the vocalist on this album has this really cool eerie sounding baritone voice that just fits the music perfectly. The atmosphere of the album just screams doom and gloom. The riffing is eerie and dark and with those deep chanting vocals I could see this being the music played at my requiem mass. One look at the album art should tell you where they are going with this. "Evil River" starts things off on the right foot with it's fuzzy and slow riffs. The production helps create the atmosphere here. The title of the song is perfect for the feel of the song. These guys know how to make you feel the vibe they are putting out. "Beyond the Wisdom" keeps it going with it's fuzzy riffing and eerie sounding atmosphere. Each song on here seems to have it's own personality but without making the album incoherent or lacking a direction. Instead the music creates an experience that actually sets a mood. A couple of bong hits and some headphones would probably make the experience more intense.

Usually with these (and I hate to using this word) retro doom bands they try to be slower and plodding and make the longest and most epic songs on the planet...meaning they bite off more than they can chew. Not this band. Each song is the perfect length and, thank the GODS, not just some plodding slow doom but actual riffing and melodies. The perfect example of this is "Luna" which is just over six and a half minutes long but is loaded with riffs that there is no time that where you would start to doze off or become uninterested. Instead it is catchy and has a chorus that is melodic and catchy. This could easily by my favorite on the album. I keep saying atmosphere because it's the only way to describe the feeling here. "Thousand Names" actually speeds things up a bit adding another dimension to this album. It has a Saint Vitus vibe to it in places but at the end of the day this album has it's own identity. This being the shortest song on the album at just over three and a half minutes it leads right into the final and longest song on the album, "Ceremonies of the Sun." This song is epic as fuck and loaded with riffs and melodies.

My only true complaint about this album is it's lack of solos. As with most classic or epic doom bands they include some shredding solos. This album has solos but not that many and they don't have the technical aspects that I look for. Yes, I think wankery in metal is essential sometimes. However, it does not take that much away from this album because the songs are good, the riffs are plentiful, and the melodies are infectious. Doom is usually not my go to genre and I am picky about it but this is an album that satisfies everything I look for in doom metal. I think that this album could transcend genres and appeal to any fan of old school classic metal.

A special thanks to I Hate Records for the promotional copy.

8.5/10

Zaum - Oracles

Normally this would not be my cup of tea since it seems rather minimalistic on the surface. Zaum play epic doom with more than a few twists. First, and foremost, there are no guitars anywhere on this album, therefor no riffing. They use bass, keyboards and sitars (of all things) create the melodies and the atmosphere on this album. Looking at the album cover it immediately brings to mind a middle eastern feel and after listening to it I was never more right. As I said, under any other circumstance I would have turned this off after 5 minutes, if I was able to stay awake at all. However, there is a magic here than keeps me listening. I'm not sure what it is but it's there and I'm kinda digging it.

I guess what really hooked me in was the psychedelic atmosphere and the middle eastern vibe that this album gives off. It's like I am immersed in a harem and smoking hash from a hookah. At the same time the bass that drives the rhythms here is heavy as fuck making any guitars obsolete. The bass has a little distortion to it making it part of the rhythm section as well as provide part of the melodies. The album is only four songs but clocks in at almost fifty minutes but for some reason it keeps me interested all the way through. The lyrical themes are middle eastern entirely and the subject matter seems to take place during the pre Christian biblical era. With a song title like "Zealot," which opens this album, anyone in the know would see exactly what this band's influences are for this album. The vocals are actually soothing to listen to and sound seriously 60s with the reverb and echo of something that my parents used to call "acid rock."

"The Red Sea" starts off with sitars are psychedelic vocal melodies and then leads to some classic sounding organ parts mixed with that heavy fucking bass. This song actually has riffing, albeit done by the bass, the riffs are cool and the vocals sound chanted. The song does kinda meander on a bit but the epic feel that it gives off keeps me listening. The song picks up the pace a bit at the end with more vocal chants. I think it's actually the weakest song on the album because then you have a song like "Omen," which is longer in length but has more going on to keep me interested. There is this distorted sitar sound starting the song but then it builds up to more of those heavy "riffs" that the bass play with the vocals being almost spoken as if you are being told of impending doom by a prophet. The psychedelic sounds and the chants are cool and the keys have that almost pipe organ sound to them in places adding more atmosphere to the song. This song really has an eerie feel to it which fits the title of the song perfectly.

I'm not supposed to like this. I'm not the biggest fan of the slower, more meandering doom metal. And the fact that this doesn't have any guitars and is not really displaying the metal riffs, there is something that draws me to it. It's interesting, to say the least. This may not be my go to when I'm in a doom mood, but I will revisit this album.

Special thanks to I Hate for the promo.

7.5/10

Mortalicum - Tears from the Grave

Okay, so what do you get when you take one part Sir Lord Baltimore, one part classic Black Sabbath and mix it with a combination of Trouble and Robin Trower...maybe throw in a touch of Mahogany Rush? Yeah, I know, right? What you get is Mortalicum, some of the best heavy/doom metal/hard rock I've heard since the long forgotten days of the 70s. Another reminder of the good old days is the fact that this is a power trio...although they did not start that way. Formed in 2006, this (as of 2013) trio of Swedes has released their third full length album, Tears from the Grave. These guys rely on good old fashioned proto-metal and hard rock riffs that just slay. The result is one of the finest albums of the genre.

One thing about this band is their use of heavy blues infested proto-metal riffs mixed with some damn fine guitar solos. This is considered doom in some respects due to those heavy riffs but that's only partially accurate because there are many more dimensions to this band. Coming right out of the gate is "The Endless Sacrifice" is a mid paced song which just slays from beginning to end with crushing riffs and massive solos. The vocals are in a mid range and not too flashy but compliment the song perfectly. "I Dream of Dying" slows it down a bit with some massive doom riffs that are heavy as fuck but do not take away that proto-metal sound. On this one, the band relies on more of a bluesy doom sound and the solos are just oozing with wah-wah effects while having so much soul and feeling. The middle of the song has this part that is a Robin Trower type bluesy solos with just bass and soft drums mixed in. If this doesn't have you breaking out your bong, I don't know what will! Seriously, this is just classy old school metal that doesn't sound dated but is a modern take on the music I grew up on.

The rest of the album is just as monstrous as those first two songs. The riffs don't stop coming and the melodies are just infectious. They mix it up a bit as a few of the songs are shorter numbers that just blast you and then they have epic monsters that are eight, nine, and even eleven minutes long. The title track is the elven minute track that is just epic and bluesy. I'm not a huge fan of long doom songs but since these guys don't just rely on doom riffs alone, this song has a lot going on and keeps your interest. The vocal melodies and the choruses are catchy and add to the dimensions of this album. Once again those solos make the songs. They combine that old school hard rock solo with modern metal elements thrown in to keep this from sounding dated or that they are trying too hard to be "retro." This isn't retro because they write songs that let you know that they feel this music, not just play it because it's cool to be retro. Songs like "I Am Sin" is the perfect example of music you can feel. Clocking in and eight minutes this epic monster rates high on the goose bump scale with it's killer Sabbath inspired riffs and epic melodies. This is doom at it's finest.

The shorter songs just crush you before you even know what the fuck hit you. Songs like "Spirits of the Dead" and "The Passage" are mid tempo songs that rely on those pounding riffs. The former has some Sabbath inspired riffs and then just under a minute in they throw in some fuckin' cowbell! Okay, I just flashed back to my teens for a second...MORE COWBELL!! Anyway, these songs are just more examples of this band's ability to write songs that take you away and make you remember everything you ever loved about metal music. This type of music can only work if the songwriting is top notch and this band can write songs and they can execute them with precision and class. Their influences are obvious but they have the ability to put their own identity to these songs. You may think of Sabbath or Trouble when you hear some of these songs but you never forget that these are Mortalicum songs.

I'm not the biggest doom fan in the world and it seems I'm more inclined towards the epic and classic doom. This band is the doom metal I love, if indeed they can be pigeonholed into one certain genre and, to me, they can't. If you like your doom with a touch of proto-metal and 70s rock then this is the album for you. And if you are an old fart, like me, this will suit you even better. Actually, if you enjoy metal at all, this album is essential.

9/10

Argus - Beyond the Martyrs

So here we have the album that I deemed to be the best metal album of 2013, Argus' third album Beyond the Martyrs, so I guess it's about time I give it a proper review. This band formed in 2005 and have released three albums. I just happen to discover them in the latter part of 2013 with this album and am I glad I did. This is true metal if ever there was. And I'm not talking about loin cloth Manowar true metal. I'm talking riffs, dual lead riffs, monster solos and melodies. They border on doom a bit but I would not call them a doom band. They just play good old heavy metal that would not have been out of place coming out along side of Maiden's self titled in '81.

This band knows how to write a song that just sucks you in. The opener is an epic number entitled "By Endurance We Conquer" and is just huge. The riffs are crushing right from the start and the dual lead riffs are just classic. "Butch" Balich is a monster of a vocalist not trying to hit every range known to man, but soaring and epic vocals that almost reminds me of Harry Conklin. This band ain't fuckin' around here. This song has some time changes and hooks that make the playing time of 6:33 just go by. Sometimes I repeat this song just because it seems to go by so fast. The guitar work is just godly. The solos are classy and melodic. They take me back to when heavy metal was new and fresh and even though this band surely is old school this is not a stale re-hash. This is timeless music. "No Peace Beyond the Line" is another riff fest using the lead riffs to provide the melodies then the huge riffs that take you into the verse are just crushing. Again, the solos are soaring and melodic and do not rely on just the technical use of scales but instead have feeling and soul. Check out the solos on the title track and album closer. This is an instrumental that shows just how good these guys are and the raw emotion that is in each and every song on this album.

It seems that every song on this album is epic with time changes and catchy melodies as well as being heavy. This band doesn't rely on being fast and furious but instead rely on their strengths as songwriters to create meticulously constructed songs. The intro lead riff on "The Hands of Time are Bleeding," for instance, has a strange rhythm to is but is precise in it's execution leading to a crushing doomy main riff. Again, the vocals are just perfect as they soar with such passion. "Trinity" starts off with doom riffs and could be a doom metal song as it's slower and the main riff is crushing. "The Coward's Path" has a classic Sabbath feel to it and is another doomy number. Mr. Iommi should have listened to this song before writing "13" because maybe then it wouldn't have been a snooze fest! This song is more Sabbath than Sabbath. In contrast to the doom, we have "Four Candles Burning" is faster with more dual lead riffs and a melody that just draws you in. I get lost listening to songs like this on the album. Even if this is one of the shorter songs on the album, it's epic nonetheless. If I were to point out a favorite song it would have to be "Cast Out All Raging Spirits" (can these guys come up with great song titles, or what?). This song is just massive with riffs, melodies, and solos...this is what metal should be.

I absolutely love every song on this album. There hasn't been an album that has been this good and this magical in a very long time. There is a reason that I called this the best metal album of 2013...because no other release could touch it.

10/10

Dread Sovereign - All Hell's Martyrs

When it comes to doom metal, I tend to be a bit picky. I love the classic bands like Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus, old Trouble, and of course, Sabbath but some of it seems to just drone on and bore the fuck outta me. So now we have veteran metal frontman Alan Averill's newest band Dread Sovereign and their debut full length, All Hell's Martyrs. This guy seems to be working overtime lately with his main band, Primordial, still going strong as well as fronting all star trad metal band Twilight of the Gods. While the former band is a classic in the celtic folk/black metal genre the, latter seemed to be a little too average for the talent that's involved. What we have here is vastly different than those bands as this is epic doom metal.

After an intro we have the first proper song called "Thirteen Clergy." This song is epic doom metal at it's finest. The riffs are crushing and the drums, provided by Primordial drummer, Simon O'Laoghair, are just insane. This is the doom metal that I like. Alan Averill's vocals are eerie and evil sounding fitting the music perfectly. At this point it seems that this album will be promising. Going into the next song I was rather disappointed. "Cthulhu Opiate Haze" is a long one, 10:29 in length, and it seems to be a bit too long as it tends to plod along in places. There are some great doom riffs in this song but it just seems to go nowhere. There's a brief psychedelic part in the middle of the song that seems out of place then picks up right after then just plods to an end. I'm sure a lot of doom fans will love this, but it's just too slow and I lose interest after a while.

It seems that this album bounces back and forth between the shorter songs and the longer songs with a couple of interludes thrown in. The shorter songs are the best, IMO. One of these shorter songs, "Pray to the Devil in Man," is the same as the opener, crushing riffs and evil vocals but does not seem to drone on and keeps my attention. It's not longer than it should be. "Scourging Iron" and "Cathars to Their Doom" are the same way, hammering doom riffs with that are epic as fuck without being too long and Mr. Averill's eerie vocals fit the songs perfectly. Then songs like "We Wield the Spear of Longinus" and the closer, "All Hell's Martyrs, Transmissions from the Devil Star" just seem to just plod along in places although the latter does not seem to make me lose interest as fast. I'm not sure why they chose to make these longer songs so much slower but I guess it's just a matter of taste. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against long epic songs but they need to keep me interested.

There is major talent on this album but it just seems a bit inconsistent to me. It's not a bad album by any means. I guess some of these songs go into the category of doom that I just can't get into. I'm sure this album will appeal to your die hard doom fan as the musicianship is top notch. I guess you'll have to pick it up and judge for yourself.

7/10