Written by: Blackie Skulless
Philadelphia's very own Crypt Sermon aren’t really anything new these days, and with only three albums stretched across nearly ten years, you can tell a lot went into all of them. While the band has always been something I’ve acknowledged as pretty solid, they never did anything exponential for me. That is, until now. The Ruins Of Fading Light took the doom metal world by storm five years ago, but The Stygian Rose took me by storm this year. Formulaically speaking, the band hasn’t undergone any serious changes between records, putting emphasis on the “epic” in epic doom metal for years. Our latest outing stays pretty true to this label, however this is the one that absolutely finished off what I previously acknowledged as kinda cool into something truly immaculate. The themes around religion and medieval occult haven’t gone away, either. So what’s the big deal? Perhaps I’m biased, but I think it boils down to a few things. I think that The Stygian Rose put more force behind the vocal passages, sped up more of the innards, and offered some tonal expressions that assault the listener in a way that previous records didn’t do to me. Certain guitar passages feel like they could fit into a speed metal song despite their crushing doom metal weight, and the way it flows so naturally is beautiful. Moreover, there’s a clearer aura to the vocals that remain clean, mostly avoiding anything harsh save for some rasp, yet they carry more conviction than what I find in a lot of extreme metal. Packing this into six long tunes makes for a muscular narrative that would almost feel overwhelming if things weren’t placed so wonderfully.
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 Written by: Crypt Tender
Another edition of ON THE HORIZON? The fact that this oft-forgotten segment is experiencing a sudden limelight indicates that A. there is a lot of good music in the pipeline, and B. we inhabitants of the Sleeping Village have tapped into a mystic pool of motivation, becoming, I can only imagine, annoyingly prolific in the process. We have a strict policy that any crypt-related items are sent directly to me, the illustrious and revered Crypt Tender [break for polite applause, sounds of fearful admiration]. As such, the entities that oversee the promo pit have gifted me this release announcement and accompanying lead single from heavy metal doomsters Crypt Sermon. I haven't yet had the pleasure of drinking deep of the forthcoming The Stygian Rose, out June 14th from Dark Descent Records, but I have played "Heavy Is The Crown of Bone" no fewer than ten times since receiving. Which, if we're being honest, makes me a bit of an expert on the matter.
In a continuing attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we slumbering scribes are making an effort to publish short reviews at a greater frequency, thereby shining our very small spotlight on more cool shit. Here's a mini-review of a doooomy album.
Written by: The Administrator
After a week of genre-hopping, it's high time for us slumbering scribes to return to our roots. That's right, folks: we're firing up some doom. More specifically, some long-form riff-centric darkly occult doom, courtesy of Italian doom mountaineers Cancervo. III is, well, their third outing, and I'm firmly of the opinion that it is their best work yet. With one organ-heavy intro followed by four thick tracks, this album is built on a solid bedrock of droning monolithic riffs and a notably dragged-from-the-crypt vocal style. The whole affair feels ritualistic and borderline hypnotic--some of these tracks could be twice as long and I'd happily sink into their ample presence. Cancervo's approach is antiqued, albeit in a way that feels more referential to traditional doom and less like mere imitation. They've certainly cranked up the spooky factor, for one. III is coated in a thick patina of mildew and dried blood. No bones about it: this album is impressively dark and unequivocally evil. Listening transports you to a candlelit catacomb, strapped to a sacrificial slab surrounded by hooded cultists. Or perhaps a moonlit forest, tied to a funeral pyre. A real witches-at-black-masses atmosphere. As it were. In terms of favorite tracks, "Sacrilegious Mass" and "Burn Your Child" are stone-cold bangers, and serve as near-perfect representations of the style. While each track herein is very solid in an individual light, the album does feel increasingly formulaic over the runtime. After each track's respective intro, the vocals are largely used to deliver mantra-like repetitions of a key phrase, and by the fourth track a little deviation would be nice to hear. That said, nothing here is worth skipping, and the notably short runtime was a smart move. For fans of old-school doom, I absolutely recommend checking this one out. Cancervo - III was released March 29th, 20244 via Electric Valley Records. Find it here! 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
Mourn The Light is the first of the inevitable “incredible album from last year that I didn’t discover until January.” Hailing from Connecticut here in the states, they do a very up-tempo brand of doom metal with traditional heavy metal influences. Rather than being dark and gloomy at all turns, they head the warmer direction and construct music that’s full of emotion and strong tempo. Having been around for a couple years now, last summer they released their debut full-length titled Suffer, Then We’re Gone. Coming at it with this approach immediately makes it more digestible as an album on the longer side. Naturally, grand constructions bordering the epic end (without the obnoxious toppings) take the majority of the cake. There are pretty extreme shifts in mood that somehow work, easily seen in the hook-friendly opener “When The Fear Subsides.” It rides on that gothic sadness that Idle Hands utilizes, before swinging into an acoustic, clean and upbeat outro. The title track also opens up side B with a very similar, bassy approach before switching entirely to the heaviest moment on the album. 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
After the Finnish doom act Church Of Void disbanded, some of the members would break off and form Fimir. Tomb Of God is their first full-length, dropping earlier this year. Similar in style to the disbanded group, they stick to the traditional doom complex that feels very tight for the genre. Modern production over familiar riffing styles and small nuances make this a pretty pleasant listen. Comprising of six songs on the longer side of things, Tomb Of God manages to fill them with solid build-up and gradual shift. It also avoids any and all “epic” doom tactics as well as steering clear from fuzzy, obnoxiously distorted stoner tones. As the record progresses, the groovier hooks lean more and more onto the heavier side. Density and threatening auras cloud the rhythm sections, causing the end of the record to reach peak heaviness. “Mausoleum Craft - Tomb of God pt.3” has an intro that could heat up a whole room. |
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