GODTHRYMM : "Distortions"

UK doomsters Godthrymm as back with their dark and gritty vision of metal. It's vision that is true to the classic while not gazing into the stagnation of retro obsessions. Unless we are talking about the 90s as this would have fit well into the doom that was coming out then. They feels like they are chugging forward rather than meandering in droning sprawl. The opening track is eleven and a half minutes, but it flows really well with the dynamic ebb and flow , even into more reflective passages that do not slow it down. Despite having ex-members of My Dying Bride and Anathema, the are not weighed down in the Peaceville sound as heavily as you might expect. 

On "Devils" they hit you with a commanding riff that feels like Metallica's more purposeful and darker moments. Then brings things back to a shadow shrouded gloom on "Echoes" , there is more melodic nuance with this song, though it might need to grow on me a little. "Obsess and Regress" finds keyboardist Catherine Glencross taking the mic. While she does not have a voice that conveys the heaviness of discontent that can be heard in the throaty baritone of  her husband Hamish. I think having her take the lead on the verses was smart on their part as adds another sonic color to break things up. The lyrics to this song are perhaps the most thoughtful so far as well. 

"Unseen Unheard" gets to the point with a very deliberate stomp. While it is not the heaviest doom riff you are going to hear this year. It is a very well written song, that does not find them painting your ears with the same colors. The vocal nuance of backing away from the bellowing bluster is another smart move, as too many metal band these days tap into a cool sound, but that is their one trick for the entirety of their album which gets old by the song. When they uses a harder drill Sargent like vocal it's not as compelling, but not a deal breaker. "Follow Me" is the first song that latches onto a more hypnotic throb and finds it . Four minutes in an I am unsure how it is going to be dragged out for another eight minutes. The answer is to bring in Aaron Stainthorpe and let him pontificate with some poetry. Catherine also lends her voice in a more effective manner by providing a more ethereal juxtaposition. 

Speaking of ethereal the last song finds the band pushing forward beyond what you have heard from them in that direction. The Gathering . It is a wide left turn from what this album has been doing up until this point, and an odd note to end the album on. However that does not mean it is not effective. It is also admirable that they are willing to take these kinds of chances and try stepping outside the confines of metal. I will give this album a 9.5, as it is an improvement over what they were already doing well and places them in the upper tier of doom bands today. This drops August 18th on Profound Lore Records.