November is Doom -Castle Rat : the Bestiary "

 

I waited for our doom month here to review the new one from Brooklyn-based fantasy metallers. Their last album earned the number even spot on our top 10 Stoner Metal albums of the year. So, despite the gimmick, they are capable songwriters. There are some odd production choices on this album, and the hype machine is churning even harder behind these guys as they gain more recognition."Wizard" works off a deliberate twin guitar attack version of traditional metal, but with a deliberate Blacki Sabbath like groove. Her voice helps to avoid Sabbath comparisons. Though riff-wise they really get into more "Vol 4' like sonic places going into the guitar solo. She does not go for dramatic belting, but a more plaintive approach, with minor key melodies. The drummer has improved this time around. 

"Siren" is marginally darker, and she begins to make more attempts to catapult her voice over the guitars. There is a doomy stomp driving this one. "Unicorn" moves with a darker chug, as atmospheric layers of melody begin to work themselves in. "Crystal Cave" is even more melodic as it ebbs down to a strum. This is more of a ballad that takes them in a Rainbow direction. Riley does not have the big Dio drama here vocie ven as it builds, but she does show improvement as a singer. In fact, the overall band has grown on this one. They continue to gallop in a similar Rainbow direction for "Serpent". Then 'Wolf 2" finds them taking a turn to more baroque folk, which is taking another page from Ritchie Blackmore's playbook. 

"Dragon " gets back into the more doomy shuffle. There is a more brooding tension to it. It's one of the album's heavier songs. 'Sun Song' finds them back with a bigger pound of guitars. It's evident that some life on the road showed them they need to step up their game to be considered heavy. They are also much closer to the Black Sabbath brand of doom than they were on the previous album. But are we just getting a head-crushing riff for all six minutes, as I like heavy, but I also like dynamics and songwriting? The guitar playing intensifies. Leaving it as the sole dynamic focus and what is effectively the climax of the album, as the outro track is more subdued. I will give this album a 9.5 and see how it grows on me. They have certainly grown as a band as their fan base should appreciate this. 
 

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