Paramaecium- Echoes from the Ground (Review)

Paramaecium- Echoes from the Ground

My failing heart can’t resist the haunting melodies of the crystal clear majestic operatic female voice. I tend to die while these bass lines combined with the mournful guitar chords. There is no hope but there’s no fear. The atmosphere is apocalyptic and the tear streams I pour away are revealed with the first touch of the violin strings and the slow crying riffs. Clean vocals substitute the brutal ones in a stage which Paramaecium play the first role.

Doomed, but the light has not yet faded. Christ is the savior and this is revealed through the sad but also modest lyrics. And it continues. The violin still penetrates my soul and spirit and the prayers of thy forsaken lament more and more in a threnody that never seems to end. This growling rage keeps me suffering, speechless and countless times helpless….

Father Alex

Memory Garden-Mirage (review)

It is when the pure melodies meet the doom riffs, when the harmonies of the solos meet the fellowship of the piano, when someone’s dreams gather and spread towards the sky. I know this is not enough, but I think it is a good prologue in order to describe Memory Garden’s Mirage album.

We shall start from the album’s cover art which prepares you for something pretty, pure, majestic, epic, peaceful, calm and melodic, characteristics which are definitely included in this album but also combined with a “progressive” touch. Twin guitar harmonies, vocal lines out from another dimension, technical drumming and acoustic breaks full of emotions and feelings compose a beautiful atmosphere. An album which forces you to close your eyes, dream and travel through the astral gateways of your imagination. A journey that starts with a “Prologue” and ends with a “Search”. During this, you wish this trip to last forever and unable to admit what you are listening to, the album ends. However, like an addict that has no ability to control his addiction, you put the album to play again. You expect the same feelings to take place but you are absolutely wrong. New experiences are revealed for you to face based on the same nostalgic path that you tried to follow during the first listening. Now melancholy is appeared behind the mist of the massive riffing and a new mournful horizon has been set. You are excited but scared to continue and finally you dare. Another journey through this album has ended again. Although the hope is still not lost and you are prepared for a third journey.

This is Doom Metal. A dark place that no matter how many times you explore, you manage to discover nothing. Then you still wandering around it until the time that you become a total addict to it.

Father Alex

April, 2011

Pylon-Armoury of god (2011) Review

Pylon is a great and special band from Switzerland which has nothing to be jealous and afraid of other great doom metal bands, but still remain in the underground. But who cares about that? Maybe it is better, because this special and unique performance of doom metal is not for everyone.

Thus, Pylon, 2 years after the successful third album titled “Doom”, they moved into a new masterpiece called “Armoury of God”. So, the combination of epic and traditional doom metal elements continues, along with haunting vocals and lyrics concerning Christianity which gives Pylon a very special, characteristic and also personal sound. Long songs with both slow and up tempo moments, amazing twin guitar melodies and skull crushing solos which complete the sentences performed by the heavy riffing. Also, acoustic guitar parts along with creepy keys in the background, synthesize something difficult to describe through words. According to my opinion is the best occasion for a band to take advantage of their influences and add a steady and characteristic personal touch. Their personal style is consecutively being respected and likeable from their gift to fulfill their enormous and heavy riffs by mystical twin guitars and adorable vocals. This creates a delightful but also mourning atmosphere which charms you.

To say the truth, “Armoury of God” and general most of Pylon’s releases, are not easy to listen. I could say that it is more difficult to understand the things that they offer through their music. But, as along as someone becomes familiar with their sound and personal style and adopts their philosophy, I am absolutely sure that he will love them.

It would be unfair to contrast “Armoury of God” with their previous album, because both of them are masterpieces. Although both of the albums are in the same style, I should say that in the last one we can listen to something “more”. Maybe it is the maturity and the musical progress of the band or I don’t know what! The only thing that I know for sure is that songs like “The First Church”, “Gravestar”, “Hollow Sky”, “Hunter Angels”, “In Serpent Tongues” and “Somewhere In Nowhere”, are rare to find nowadays and they worth attention if we want to persist supporting Doom Metal.

I will close this review by thanking Pylon once again for the moments that share with us through their music. Doom metal needs not only pure melodies but also pure hearts.

Father Alex, April 2011

CONDENADOS “La Gran Muerte” Reivew

CONDENADOS
“La Gran Muerte”
EP 2009
(Legion of Death)

Condenados is a pure doom metal band from Chile, that has been created during 2005. I was familiar with this band about 3 years ago but I never listened to their songs for unknown reason. However, when their first EP (La Iniciacion) was released, they totally persuaded me that they have entered the doom metal scene for sure. All lyrics and vocals are in Spanish which is
something new for doom metal and I have to say that this band is very easy listening
to. Condenados play slow mournful doom metal including a very characteristic
sound strongly influenced by the classic sound of Latin America. A band, that has much to give to doom metal.

Web: www.myspace.com/condenadosdoom

MitsDoom

CARDINAL’S FOLLY “Orthodox Faces” Review

CARDINAL’S FOLLY
“Orthodox Faces”
EP 2009 (private)

Cardinal’s Folly, hailing from Finland is
a quite new band, existing though from
2004 under a different moniker (The
Coven), which was latterly changed in
2007 in the one that we know. Their EP
called “Orthodox Faces” was the one that made them one of the most worth checking bands in doom metal. However,with slogan like N.W.O.F.D.M. nothing more but true traditional doom metal isexpected. We all know that Finland is a goldmine for every doom metal fan as it has produced sincere bands like Minotauri, Spiritus Mortis, Fall of the Idols, Reverend Bizarre and many more which have raised doom metal to another class. Cardinal’s Folly is one of them and the signs are clear; they have entered strongly the doom metal scene as they play pure heavy doom metal, a music style that Finnish people know at its best. The production of the album is the one that I prefer in a doom metal band and the vocals are also classical for a Finnish doom band. What I like most in this group, is that they have a unique style. Their arrangements are classic and in general I don’t have to add something more. All I have to say is: fans of Reverend Bizarre and Minotauri don’t waste more time and go check this band like I do.

Web: www.myspace.com/cardinalsfolly

MitsDoom

TEMPLE OF PAIN “Lord of the Undead Knights” EP Review

The Temple Of Pain is project group of Fabio, lead singer and guitarist of the doom metal band Thunderstorm from Italy. Not along time ago, their first demo cd (Lord of the undead) came to my hands and I admit that when I firstly listened to that, I was excited and I continue listening to that for 5-6 times more. This is how doom metal should sound like; slow, heavy, epic, sabbathic. It is a band much worth checking and a band that you can count on, and I hope that they also believe that this demo is not enough and that it is time for a full length album to start being prepared. For all the true supporters and fans of doom metal, I suggest you to find and listen to this demo. The sound is very good and very easy listening, even though it is a demo. Also, it is well known that the doom metal scene of Italy is among the best in the whole world and that’s one more reason to listen to The Temple of Pain. At last, we all know Thunderstorm, so we can all congratulate Fabio for thismasterpiece which gave us.

www.myspace.com/templepain

MitsDoom (Holy Sword/Children Of Doom)

Rituals Of The Oak Review

Rituals Of The Oak "Hour Of Judgement" Cd/LP 2009 Review

[Eyes Like Snow]

Rituals Of The Oak is a Doom Metal band from Australia. When I first listened to this band was because of their 2009 demo. Considering the fact that from Australia there are not so many doom metal bands, I was enough prejudiced when it was time to listen to their album. Fortunately, I was wrong because from the very first second of the first song, I realized that Rituals Of The Oak, are my new favourite band. As the time was passing by, and I was even more used to their sound, I believed that even more. It is a doom metal band with female vocals and their sound is exactly how doom metal should sound like nowdays. Clean vocals lines reminding The River. All the songs are true masterpieces, and you don’t know to which you want to listen first. The last 12-minute opus song of the album under the massive title “spell of doom” is a song that before you listened to it, you clearly know what to expect. I am not going to say anything else about this band. Listen to their album and you will understand exactly what I mean. As I have said before, with bands like them, doom metal will never die. As for those of you who haven’t listened to this album yet, follow my advice and do it immediately.

Web: http://www.myspace.com/ritualsoftheoak

MitsDoom (Holy Sword/Children Of Doom)