The Codex : Doom What Thou Wilt
By: MetalGeorge Pacheco
Vol 2: Wicked World
Hello! Welcome back (hopefully!) to The Cimmerian Codex: Blistering’s dark lil’ corner of DOOM. Right off the bat, I need to say “thanks” and “right the fuck on” to all of you who’ve shown this column the love you have thus far; it’s great to have all of you here on the ride with me! If this is your first time reading The Codex? Welcome!
As I type this, I’m just returning home from seeing Blue Oyster Cult play my hometown….and what a show it was! These rock legends certainly still have the brass it takes to impress, some forty years after first forming in 1967. Good Goddamn. Anyways, to kick things off musically this month, we have a bloody fantastic Australian act by the name of Rituals of the Oak. This quartet avoids any sort of pigeonholing with their unique take on the genre. The band’s self-titled demo isn’t quite death, traditional, or stoner doom, yet possesses a certain left-of-centre appeal which could lend itself to fans of all three disparate branches. “I still remember the first time I heard Solitude Aeturnus’ Beyond the Crimson Horizon. It completely changed my life,” says guitarist Shane Linfoot. “It was pretty much from the first few minutes of the opening track on that album, 'Seeds of the Desolate,' that I knew that I wanted to play doom metal. It moves me like no other form of metal, and we just aim to create something unique, while still paying tribute to the gods of the genre.”
For many, the bewitching, Jex Thothian vocals of frontwoman Sabine Hamad will prove to be one of the defining characteristics of Rituals Of The Oak, providing the perfect counterpoint to Linfoot’s thick, oppressive riffing. “I never imagined a female vocalist for the band,” Shane admits, “but as the vocal melodies I’d written for the tunes were quite high and challenging, she was just perfect for the role.” It looks like we’ll be hearing a lot more from these guys in the near future, with the band’s recent deal with Eyes Like Snow—who brought us such doom luminaries as The Lamp of Thoth, Apostle of Solitude and The Wandering Midget—and recording of the full length debut, Hour Of Judgement. Still, I would recommend contacting Mr. Linfoot and seeing if the demo is still available, as this material is just too good to pass up.
Pittsburgh’s Shadow Kingdom Records graciously sent in a massive package of releases for review this month, most of which are excellent, I must say. Label owner Tim McGrogan has compiled an impressive list of releases and signings thus far—not the least of which was Hour of 13’s mind-blowing 2007 debut—and is quickly earning his buzz as one of the underground’s best burgeoning labels.
The best of the lot has to be Denmark’s Altar of Oblivion, who come out swinging with their Sinews Of Anguish debut. This eight track concept record strikes all of the right epic metal chords in its delivery, and proves that the genre can indeed be well represented in 2009, without having to resort to 80s nostalgia or po-faced cheese to appeal to the elitist masses. Indeed, the riffs and emotive leads of guitarists Martin Mendelssohn and Allan Larsen smoke with greased lightning accuracy, and can appeal just as much to your modern metal fan, as they can to your shaggy-headed Cirith Ungol obsessive. The soaring vocals of Mik Mentor could prove a problem for those not raised in the Mausoleum/ Metal Blade axe logo generation, but for those of us who lovingly look back on this genre’s formative years, Sinews Of Anguish will feel like a fist-pumping stroll down memory lane.
Another awesome concept record comes in the form of Ogre’s Plague Of The Planet reissue. Originally released on the strangely silent/believed defunct Leafhound Records, Shadow Kingdom’s redux version gives American listeners the chance to enjoy this labor of love without having to pay exorbitant import prices. This Maine trio effortlessly glide between AC/DC styled rock (see: bassist/vocalist Ed Cunningham’s epic Bon Scott impersonation) and True Doom here on Plague, with the end result—an 11 song concept, all bleed together in one massive track—serving as infectious listening…even though it did take me more than a few cursory spins before Ogre’s true genius was revealed.
Dawn of Winter’s The Peaceful Dead is yet another 2008 release which is getting the reissue treatment on SKR, and a fine example of German metal engineering if there ever was one. Essentially a love letter to doom metal, The Peaceful Dead processes ever-forward to glory, anchored by guitarist Jorg Knittel’s six-string marching orders, and frontman Gerrit P. Mutz’s (he of Sacred Steel infamy…ouch!) somber, suitable vocals. Chalk up another win for SKR.
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