Time for another band from mighty US underground scene to grace the pages of this webzine. Lord Mountain are relatively new band in the scene being formed back in 2014. They are hailing from California and after one e.p., two singles, this is their first full length opus with help of King Volume Records. This opus contains eight songs. Music of Lord Mountain is a mixture of heavy metal and doom metal, leaning more on doom side of things. Songs are epic and melodic, if I must compare it to some bands it would be Grand Magus, Crom, Candlemass even early Manowar in their doomier songs on first couple of opuses. Lyrics are more into fantasy side of things, epic war, mythological themes. Vocals are melodic but could be a bit stronger in the production, vocalist/guitarist Jesse Swanson has great voice and I think that a bit louder vocals in the overall mix could add to the dramatics of the songs. The album sounds raw and metal, but atmospheric at the same time. Songs like ‘Well Of Fates’ and ‘The Giant’ are doom/heavy anthems, topped with instrumental quick intermezzo ‘Beyond The Frozen Sea’ which kind of leads us to second half of the album with epic ‘The Last Crossing’ which starts as more straightforward faster heavy metal song and then evolves like butterfly from caterpillar to doom with epic solo in the end. ‘Chasm Of Time’ has most eerie and haunting melody vocal lines of all songs on this opus and has beautiful chorus and guitar work reminding of NWOBHM influences. This is a band which shows how can you make varied, interesting and strong debut opus.
Two members of Portugal’s Gaerea, namely Guilherme Henriques – vocals/guitar and Pedro Soares – drums, decided to write an opus of heartfelt emotions and darkness and put it all in one long song called Disintegrate. The opus starts calmer, with post metal influenced guitar melody, a bit cold like in space with synth effects melody in the background preparing us of what’s to come. And that is, my ladies and gentlemen, perfect lesson in rolling death doom with growling death vocals, dark and melodic guitar wall of sound and doom procession drums played technically perfect to a note. The atmosphere is perfect and lyrics are about rising of an individual above things that bothered him/her until now, when he or she took all by heart but will rise now above all that darkness even it means to disintegrate and practically cease existence. This is a liberating music and opus. If you listen to it in darkness, close your eyes and let the music and words take you to soundscape vessel and fly you above all you will see how pathetic and needless are some of your worries and problems and how sometimes things need to be cut no matter it might cause pain or cease to exist in a way they existed before. Double bass drumming, some death and post metal influences add to the drama and melancholic guitar work on this opus. I can only congratulate you, because this one touched me deep, deep inside.
Sermon are Turkish band hailing from Izmir and their roots date back to 1997, but after a hiatus band reformed and this is their new full length opus. This one offers 8 songs of doom metal, basically it is melodic epic doom metal with lots of gothic influenced parts, also there are some death doom nineties influences, through some UK legendary bands’ influence. Vocals are growled but there are also some gentler clean parts and this growling so fits to guitar melodies that it is perfect. These guitar parts and double bass rolling drums create an atmosphere of darkness that you can almost touch with your hands. Lyrics are about darkness, space, inner demons, emotions deep within and one other plus is that vocalist is mainly understandable in many parts of the songs. There is also violin like for example in Flawless Entropy and calls to mind My Dying Bride, but with more melody and epic parts. Songs are pretty long but do not get boring for one second. My personal favorites on this one are: ‘Silver Splinter’ and ‘Destined To Decline’. This is doom metal just made for listening and daydreaming under steel grey January sky as the cold wind sweeps around you.
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