Year: 2020
Total Time: 54:33
Label: Profound Lore
The link between epic Doom Metal and atmospheric Doom Death is bridged by GODTHRYMM with their debut album “Reflections”. And it is done in a thrilling way! If you are shivering at the idea of mixing the sound of the later SOLITUDE AETURNUS with the mournful British sound of PARADISE LOST and MY DYING BRIDE, then get ready for some… epic thrills.
In case you are wondering how this can be achieved, the answer is very simple. We need a doom-region like Halifax in England and we also need musicians with plenty of experience in the field. Who are the musicians, you may ask? First, we have the titan Hamish Glenncross on guitar and vocals, who we know from his tenure with the gods MY DYING BRIDE, the gods SOLSTICE and VALLENFYRE too. On his side, we have another titan, Shaun Taylor-Steels on drums, whom we have enjoyed in bands such as ANATHEMA and MY DYING BRIDE. The trio is complemented by Bob Scrolla on bass.
With such a background, it was inevitable for the band to play something other than the imposing Doom Metal of the 90s. I could also say that “Reflections” also acts as a tribute to albums such as “Shades of God”, “Turn Loose the Swans” but also “Lamentations” and “Downfall”. In no way, however, this is a nostalgic copy of sounds from decades ago. The music here is refined, fresh and dynamic.
Although Doom Metal is characterized by a slow pace and monotonous play, that’s not the case here. The trio from Halifax are masters of their art and made sure to create a diverse album. Slow rhythms creep over melancholic melodies, crushing riffs give way to sorrowful leads while atmospheric passages turn into thundering outbursts of rage and gloom.
Glencross’s vocals successfully balance between the clean voice of Robert Lowe (SOLIDUDE AETURNUS) and a more “roaring” Kirk Windstein (CROWBAR) or even Mathias Lodmalm (CEMETERY) of the “Godless Beauty” era. As a result, it is not easy to label the band as pure epic Doom or Doom Death Metal.
The album is full of jaw-dropping riffs and solos capable of bringing a smile even to the most brooding and demanding of the genre. Listen for example, to the ASTONISHING lead guitar ala Gregor Mackintosh that opens the second track of the album “Among the Exalted”. Listen to the anthemic chorus of “We Are the Dead” or get lost in the old school magic of “The Grand Reclamation” with its up-tempo ending that brings into mind the galloping moments of bands like TROUBLE and CANDLEMASS.
Glencross’ guitar is among the best of its kind, and those who loved him in albums like “The Dreadful Hours” will be beyond satisfied with his performance on the album. The same goes for Steels’ drumming: A flawless master of pace always on point. Scrolla on bass complements the sound of the band, while the whole package is completed by Glencross’s wife, Catherine, with her angelic vocals on two songs.
I don’t think there’s anything else to say. GODTHRYMM have created one of the best Doom records of the year. An eight-song love letter to the heaviest and darkest offshoot of metal. The band have set the bar extremely high for the next decade, not just for themselves but for also for the whole genre.
Rating: 8.5/10
Editor: Dimitris Benetatos
Related Link: GODTHRYMM – Facebook Page
