We’ve been observing metal as usual in October, and this is what caught our eye.
Mortajas – Mortajas II
Bell-tolling, funeral-shuffling traditional doom albums seem less and less easy to come by these days, especially if you’re looking for a band that plays absolutely straight and can still sound fresh. From the first note of one of their 10 minute tracks, Mortajas make no secret of what they are about to do, which is play soul-grinding doom the way it was imagined by Saint Vitus and Trouble in the ‘80s, not to mention incorporating some of the inviting hopelessness of the Finns and Swedes in the more recent upswell. With a rich production and easy yet emotional pacing, this is like being invited inside on a cold day for a hot whiskey – by a black hooded figure with some bad news. The twist is that he’s Spanish, and it turns out that’s what this kind of doom was missing. The Chilean group manage to keep this gorgeous for its entire length, especially during the appearance of local instruments on the redemptive “Bajo un Nuevo Sol”. Here’s something depressing to really look forward to. (Edmund Morton)
Sorcerer – Reign of the Reaper
Epic doom metal is not a genre I normally listen to, but Sorcerer enticed me to stretch out of my comfort zone with their excellent fourth album Reign of the Reaper. Soaked in brooding atmospheres and fuelled by gloriously epic power metal melodies, this record won me over completely. Maybe it’s time to re-evaluate my own tastes in metal? (Daniele Nosenzo)
Sulphur Aeon – Seven Crowns and Seven Seals
When the only negative remarks I have about an album are ‘I’d rather the penultimate track and final track switched places’ (easily solved these days) and ‘the artwork isn’t by the regular dude’ (okay, I’m genuinely disappointed about that one) – then it’s safe to say you’ve got a gem on your hands. And that’s all these Germans seem to do. For a decade now they’ve been cranking out gem after gem of cavernous death metal with their own glorious Lovecraftian niche. Although Sulphur Aeon’s sound is instantly recognizable, they’ve shown appropriate development through each release, culminating in what I thought was the best they could possibly get back in 2018 with The Scythe Of Cosmic Chaos. But shut my stupid pudding hole because Seven Crowns & Seven Seals pushes their timbre and texture to slightly new levels; incorporating more haunting clean vocals and a penchant for more progressive songwriting with almost storytelling capabilities. The crawling prog-tinged jewels like “Beneath The Ziqqurats” and the title-track contrast beautifully with deliciously evil slammers like “Hammer From The Howling Void” (what a fucking title!). I’ll definitely do a full review in time, but for now: jump on the Sulphur Aeon hype train because this is a truly special project who deserve every ounce of praise they’re given. (Larry Best)
Theocracy – Mosaic
Holy shit. The last one was catchy, this one is HEAVY. This album is nothing but riffs and hooks and honestly it works pretty well. For a Christian band the lyrics are pretty anti capitalist and anti fascist, plus I know members of the band and have known them to be really awesome guys. This is a monument to everything the band has done, ending with a 20 minute epic. Get this album. (Ian Yeara)
Tower Hill – Deathstalker
I keep looking for classic metal sounds with the energy and drive that more modern tastes and equipment can provide, and despite lots of searching I find too many disappointments. Tower Hill know what I need and – what a surprise – come from Canada. Another great trad group from the country. This is their first full-length and does chunky heavy metal with some epic and power touches, much more forceful than your Megaton Swords and Visigoths and the likes. Deathstalker works because it isn’t that complicated, keeping all songs fairly brief even if you could call some leads or choruses epic in tone, while the structures punch through perplexity by getting to the point. “The Claw Is the Law” shows the band at their most direct and fun, while “In at the Death” exhibits a bit more feel and some of the classier tones of the release. I feel I’m more likely to listen to this while drinking strong beer than musing on life, and given the samples used that seems to be how it was created too. Lots of fun. (Edmund Morton)
