November is Doom -High Priest : "Invocation"

This band from Chicago brings it in a manner that pays homage to many bong-savvy genres. The first song strikes an effective balance of atmosphere and beefy rock riffs with a punch. that does not rely on Sabbath too heavily. I can hear the post-grunge strains of early Foo-fighters, mixed with a more surreal current running through it. There is more drive to the second song, which hits a less bombastic "Children of the Grave" like tempo. It is possessed with the same knack for melody as the first song. They build up a great deal of momentum during this song. 

The first song that really goes in a dark doomy direction is "Ceremony' which carries a hint of sinister to its creeping riff. Its groove has a weighted lumber. There is a strong 90s feel to this. "Invocation" carries the more doom-leaning direction further down that rabbit hole. The layered vocals form strong harmonies. This album is really well produced it has the fuzzed-out organic guitar song, while the vocals are given the right amount of effects to blend with the throbbing wall of sound summoned here. The song jams out an extended guitar harmony section. 

The vocals have a knack for landing the melodies around the sinewy guitar riffs. "Down in the Dark" is another example of how beautifully they mix the varied moods collected into one cohesive pulse. "Universe" finds the bass leading off into a massive rumble. This has a powerful metal weight to its crunch. The vocals are almost whispered to provide a contrast. The drummer begins to really earn his pay when this song builds up. "Conjure" has an ominous riff driving it. The vocals are delivered in a manner not unlike the previous song. The lyrics continue to be shrouded in metaphor, but the song shares a kindred current flowing through it. Things build into a familiar boogie. "Heaven" finds the band refusing heaven, and winding around into a varied platter of metal grooves. I will give this album a 9, they prove to be a band I will keep my ears on, as they serve their songs first.