Khemmis: " Absolution"

Pallbearer might not be the first metal band to put clean vocals to doom, but they are the most lauded for it today. There were bands like Solitude Aeturnus, Trouble and Candlemass who have been at it for some time. So maybe it's time those bands are getting some recognition. Or not...the  spurts of harsh vocals are one thing that keeps these guys from sounding like a Pallbearer tribute. Some time they go a more obvious metal route than what Pallbearer would do. It's going to take a few listens for me to get past this comparison and dig into the album.I will say these guys are doom, but not funereal doom. They do not have the mournful quality that some one like Evoken conjures.

"Serpentine" slithers, but I think I favor "Ash, Cinder, Smoke" over it. They have the sound. The melancholy yet powerful guitar harmonies. They are more in your face with the metal on "Antediluvian". The chug to "Burden of Sin" is more horns in the air than anything Pallbearer would do. The growled vocals dominate the first half of this song, until the singing comes in for what would be the chorus. The one thing these guys have going for them in regards to be more straight up metal is they don't drag their songs out.

"The Bereaved" finds them shifting start the song off with a more contemplative guitar tone before the stomped on the distortion on powered up.They seem to show their true face on "The Bereaved". The guitarists pull out some sweeping shredding. The melody shows their lead singer's personality. I would like to hear more coming from this direction. While the comparison to you know who abounds, these guys have chops and with more listens it's easier to hear where they stand on their own two feet. While I am on the fence as to if I need these guys in my iPod since I have you know who already there and that void filled, I think think credit is due to what they have crafted so I will give it a 9 as I said to myself I like this more than the Goatsnake album and they got an 8.5 so it only stands to reason they would be scored so.