Isole : "Dystopia"

After the deluge of death doom this year it is good to just hear straight forward doom. Though not as straight forward as most doom bands due to the fact Most of this band also plays in the Pagan Black Metal band Ereb Altor. This cross over can still be felt in the influences brought to the table as they are not just doom musicians . Being from Sweden there are many other elements from the influence of their country men despite being a doom band. You get the guitar harmony parts from melo-death, the aggression of Dissection in places as well as the first influence that came to mind due to the melancholy groove Katatonia. In fact in many place it feels like Katatonia jamming with Candlemass, The first song has more drive than the bulk of this album that wallows in depressive dirges. The crooned vocals are like a less emotive version of My Dying Bride. They moan over the guitar , not always working into the riff. The results are less hooky than say Pallbearer. This guy can belt it out and has a great singing voice, he just has no intention of writing anything for a mainstream radio audience.

I have made a playlist of black metal bands for people who like power -metal, and have thought about making a doom for people into power metal playlist as these guys would qualify, I am still doing it , November is going to become our doom month here, if you are reading this you probably get the reference. These these guys belong on it as things are very big and dramatic. Epic sounding thanks to their other band. "the Beholder" opens with a mellower more introspective guitar part before cranking into the meat of the song. These guys are not playing riffy Sabbath stuff. It is pretty intricate, you could even think of this as progressive doom.  There is a heavier crunch to "You Went Away". It is an extremely dynamic song with things breaking down before hitting you double bass. The riff going to "Forged By Fear" the probably the closest to conventional doom I have heard so far .By conventional doom we are talking direct descendants of Black Sabbath. Guttural growls also color this song.  It is s solid song, but the bar has been raised high for these guys so it might not be the strongest song on the album.

If you have a doom album and the longest song is eight minutes, then you are telling me you know how to write a song and know this requires trimming the fat, much like editing a story.  "Galenkapens Land" is sung in their native tongue. The drumming is very groovy. The guitar gives everything room to breath and when it kicks in highly melodic. It's also despondently dark, so all I need when it comes to doom. "Nothingness" closes the album. This one is more Candlemass like. The guitar melody is memorable and works well with the vocals.  I will give this album a 9. It is one of the more solid doom albums I have heard in a few months at least. If you want doom with very little death metal and way more melancholy this album is  worth your time . Released on Hammerheart Records