THE EVIL INQUISITION ISSUE 12

THE GATES OF SLUMBER - 'Conqueror'
[I Hate]

Direct from 'Indianapolis' in the 'United States' comes 'The Gates Of Slumber' with their third full length album and their twelfth release overall, simply entitled 'Conqueror'. Playing in the most traditional of doom styles imaginable 'The Gates Of Slumber' like to keep things a little varied by hitting in to some faster paced almost stoner like grooves and then pulling the pace back harshly and diving head first into some down and dirty down tuned depressive doom melodies! Vocally in places I find the band lacking but not all the time, work though is definitely needed. Other than that though there isn't much to criticise and 'Conqueror' comes across as a double edged sword as one moment it is chilling and tranquilly and then without missing a heartbeat it's down to good old fashioned head banging superiority! Most deadly in the bands arsenal though is their fierce riff-age. The band slays, there is no doubting the fact and the groove drench chords they pluck out effortlessly sound devastatingly nimble and grimy. Always a good decision! 'Conqueror' is nothing new to the market but its vastly superior to allot that will show up and that counts for allot. The band have a new EP out also by the name of 'The Ice Worms Lair' and i reckon it will be worth a listen. [7.5]
http://www.myspace.com/thegatesofslumber

HIAM - Demo 2008'
[Unsigned]


Featuring a very stylish and well executed synth created darkened intro, German down tempo metallers 'Hiam' surge quickly [If a doom band is able to do such a thing] into a powerful stance of full own doom and death metal that rolls almost effortlessly off their instruments and ends up as an intricately played piece of impeccable down tuned boldness, a blackened statement of vitriolic tendencies slammed out loud and with extra hostility! With influences obviously ranging through early British doom mainly in the form of Liverpudlian band 'Anathema' and their early heavily doomtastic days, 'Hiam's' 2008 demo packs a truly grim fist and raises it on high whilst growling out to the world that it is ever present and with a talent shown like this it is likely to be heard by doom loving folk from all over the globe. Putting all fanciful grand bigging up aside, 'Hiam' are a pretty impressive doom outfit and whilst still much needs to be perfected and honed there is real potential here for this constantly rolling doom crew to feed upon! Let the feast commence! [7.5]
http://www.myspace.com/hiam666

HINSIDES - 'The Forthcoming Of Abell 1609'
[Bloodred Horizon]


With an demo name like 'The Forthcoming Of Abell 1609' I have high hopes of a good showing from this Norwegian anti-christian black metal four piece, and better yet its the bands debut release! What you get for 'Hinsides' virgin demo is a blast beat frenzy of down and dirty raw sounding black metal that never relents in its vicious hostility! Not one for changing their style this is pretty much the theme for the entire demo and with the bands debut full length release currently being written they will need to work on more hooks and style deviations of they are to progress and develop as a band but on the whole this unbridled vitriolic circus of death marches on to a spectacular beat of Satanic riff-age and deep growling vocals that could flay a Norwegian moose of its hide whilst it drinks from the fjord! [Sorry Monty Python moment] 'Hinsides' are decent and that's as far as it goes right now but the potential is there for this fledgling black metal act and hopefully they will expand their sound much more on the new release. [6.5]
http://www.myspace.com/hinsides

JEX THOTH - 'Jex Thoth'
[I Hate]


Formally known by the name 'Totem', this evocative female fronted San Franciscan doom band have resurfaced under the new title of 'Jex Thoth' and have not set loose their self titled album, although after listening to the first few tracks it isn't so much set loose as drifted off casually. 'Jex Thoth' are a haunting band and no mistake that make you want to lay back in the warmth and groove along to their imposing style. Thinking about it in greater depth this band is for fans of English trip hop stars 'Portishead', I shit you not. If 'Portishead' were a doom band this is what the end result would be and if you think I'm being funny, I'm not. I adore 'Portishead'. back to 'Jex Thoth' though and what you have here is a great example of a band who stick to what they know, and what they know is how to make great music with a severely old school fashion, think back to the early 'Genesis' recordings and that will give you some idea. 'Jex Thoth', a band and an album with great class and dignity just begging to be heard! [8]
http://www.myspace.com/totemdoom

LEFT IN TORMENT - 'Saturnian Rites'
[Unsigned]


French funeral doom band 'Left In Torment' play in exactly the same style that you would expect of a band sporting their particular moniker, slow moving down tempo Gothic funeral blackness with a great sounding orchestral undertone that lends itself well t the darkness that seems to exude from all the music which the band play. By the time the growling vocals have kicked in you are so at ease with the sounds being played and the melodies created that you are ready to drift away into it to be lost forever, or at least until the heavenly music ends. 'Saturnian Rites' is music to fall asleep too and before you make a double take at that sentence I mean this in a totally positive way. This three track release which incidentally spans about forty minutes is incredibly dreamy in sound and whilst the main theme and tone is darkness, a rich veil of bleak nothingness that seems to go on into infinity it also seems to cast a spell on you that makes you want to just close your eyes and be taken away by the harmony that it spreads. many will not know what I mean but if you listen to this in a dark warm room you'll see what I mean, or more accurately you will feel it. [8]
http://www.myspace.com/leftintormentdoom

LEVEL EXIT - 'Promo 2006'
[Unsigned]


With a name like 'Level Exit' you might well happen to casually pass this Hungarian death metal band by without so much as a casual glance in their direction but you would be making a mistake if you did. 'Level Exit' are not the most brutal band you will hear not the most technically gifted yet they do carry their own quaint charms such as a much more groove drenched style of death metal than your average gore soaked outfit! Indeed they also sport a more technical sound in places that converts what could have been a rather hum-drum generic affair into a much more biting and grinding piece of heavy riff-age! Indeed I found the bands 2006 promo release to be often catchy whilst always maintaining their full on brutal nature! 'Level Exit' are not the perfected project, far from it in fact but whilst they play nothing fresh they do churn out some fantastic tunes and the wall of noise that they are capable of creating carries with it a truly vicious nature packed with vitriol and utter hatred! Add in a few of the bands choice blast beats and sporadic pace changes, not to mention grueling harsh vocals and you have such relentless Hungarian death metal to be proud of. [7]
http://www.myspace.com/levelexit

MAEGASHIRA - 'The Stark Arctic'
[Spare Change]


New Jersey doom metal four piece 'Maegashira' sound from their name like they should hail from down town 'Tokyo', but they don't, so deal with it! With a predictably slow approach [No bad thing before you think I'm complaining] this mellow doom quartet actually lay off the true brutality of the metal for quite a while instead choosing to concentrate on some fine up standing melodies and intricacies before they finally plunged head first into a much more speeded up blackened style of screeching vocals with old school groove laden riffs. Whilst the creative side of the band doesn't tend to include anything particularly new or fresh they do bang out some tunes of the upper most entertainment value and for that we thank them. 'The Stark Arctic' has an enticing name that screams of frost bitten, well no blizzard swept northern pastures or in this case tundras just aching to be used as a doom bands inspiration and whilst 'Maegashira' don't press every button in my doom loving mind they do certainly spark enough interest to get a few repeat plays! [7]
http://www.myspace.com/maegashira

MARASME - 'Marasme EP'
[Unsigned]


Following what seems like one of the most excruciatingly long winded melodic and light intros ever comes an extremely short burst of almost static noise and then straight back to a more moderate, and by moderate I mean standard, ordinary, mediocre style of experimental sludge! Experimental really is the word though, as this Spanish [Majorca to be precise] fuse their sludge sound with interludes of rap and jazz which frankly don't work. Yes on occasions when the band kick up a storm of rolling guitars they can sound pretty beefed up and heavy and that part really does work but in this bands case the attempts to be original and imaginative leaves their sound totally lacking and gives it a lop sided stance. Still it has to be said that the bottom heavy sludge side of the 'Marasme's' sound is worth the listen and if they could eject some of the other influences then they could be a band to contend with, especially considering their location which has to be a hindrance to any musical act wanting to break through and be noticed. To some this whole package will appeal but for me it needs work. [5]
http://www.myspace.com/marasme

MODERN FUNERAL ART - 'Hellfire'
[The Drama & Sin Company]


From the French Gothic doom metal due of 'Modern Funeral Art' comes their brand new album entitled simply 'Hellfire'. Does anybody remember a band called 'Sacred Spirit' that released a weird sort of native American styled track called 'Yeha Noha'? Vocally this project reminds me so much of that which is no way a band thing as I loved that song. Aside from such nostalgia trips though what 'Modern Funeral Art' serve up is a long drawn out lesson in repetition that never seems to change in style or sound, so whilst being eternally dark and drawn to the bleaker side of nature, they really don't do wonders to carry on entertaining those who happen to stumble across this new release. That said though this is pretty decent sounding but if we are to be honest it is never going to light the torch or rock the boat, so I think the best way to describe 'Modern Funeral Art' and 'Hellfire' is sustainable in it's predictability, moderate sounding heaviness with some nice doom touches, never pushing the envelope or over stepping the mark, just mildly moving along at its own speed, casual and mellow. [6.5]
http://www.myspace.com/modernfuneralart

MOTHER OF PEARL - 'Mother Of Pearl'
[Unsigned]


I'm not overly sure about the band name but then what does it that really mean? musically this french stoner rock quartet play with a low sound that exudes allot of bass and surprisingly has English lyrics. Sporting an old school sound 'Mother Of Pearl' in many ways remind me of a cross between 'The Doors' and rock guitar legend 'Jimi Hendrix' as they mire themselves in a very 60's and early 70's like psychedelic funk! With no modern influences discern able this is a real blast to the past and the type of band that is heaven sent to take lots of mind altering substances too. 'Mother Of Pearl' are the epitome of old school and their self titled release is an itch that needs to be scratched in as much as that it is a must be heard album. So my advise regarding these French stoner pioneers is to sit back, get high and enjoy the melodies! [7]
http://www.myspace.com/motherofpearl1