old friends...

Doom may be the cruellest of all metals many genres. You see, if you're, for instance, a thrash band, it's relatively easy to be a mediocre band. You string together some old Exodus and Slayer riffs, pull funny faces and get signed by Earache. You want to be a death metal band? Simply play Morbid Angel riffs at slightly different speeds, chuck a horror film sample or two into the mix and play three festivals a summer. Doom though? Hell, if you want to be mentioned with the big guys, you've just got to be good. You have to feel it, in your bones. You can't fake it. You might be able to cock an ironic grin with thrash, or put the make up on with Black Metal, but you can't feign misery convincingly.

You can't fake adoration of the sacred riff; if you try, everyone will see through your facade. Doom is pure heavy metal, unfiltered by trend or fashion. Apostle of Solitude don't fake anything. This is 100% proof, intoxicating heavy metal that makes heads nod and horns rise. From Indianapolis, USA, this four piece have come to play metal in the old style, in the fashion of the old classics of the genre. I like my doom like I like my women; slow, miserable and classy. At the altar of this epic, powerful metal, the riff is king and atmosphere is the crown prince. Sincerest Misery is the debut album of this outfit, and it's really a breathtaking entry that catapults them to the top of their game, and I would place them alongside fellow Americans The Gates of Slumber, though this is a much doomier and darker album than their compatriots last release. I was frequently reminded of the atmosphere (and heavy riffing) of the much-loved dormant British seminal outfit, Solstice in sound. From the sprawling, epic nature of the tracks (eight minute track "Confess" is a case in point), down to the clear, soulful singing of Chuck Brown, this screams "genre classic" into your ear. From close range. Without warning.

Somewhere along the line, extreme metal lost the plot, and in disposing of anything related to good, classic heavy metal, it threw the baby out with the bath water. "Sincerest Misery" traces an unbroken route from Black Sabbath, through classic Judas Priest and then out via earliest Iron Maiden, while all the while retaining that slow tempo, unhurried devotion to misery and solitude. The drums are in the best traditions of classic doom; played simply but effectively, while the bass work is adept and much higher in the mix than many other modern albums. The production gives the bass a wonderful warm, analogue feel, while the guitars have more crunch than a late night teleshopping channel abdominal exerciser. The lead work, when it occurs, is ornate and neo-classical in feel, rather than relying on the tired tradition of simple blues scales, which helps reinforce the huge, epic sound of the music here. Chuck Brown has a great voice, carrying the melody and drama of these leviathan tracks. Heavier than a sledgehammer blow to the back of the cranium (witness the merciless bludgeoning four minutes into the unbelievably heavy "Last Tears" as evidence), this is a serious, jaw-dropping release. File under "essential". [www.northern-silence.de/eye.htm]

buy it here; check them out here.

Apostle of Solitude - Sincerest Misery: http://lix.in/-3b47c6