Albert Bell's Sacro Sanctus - Ad Aeturnam

Artist: Albert Bell's Sacro Sanctus
Release Title: Ad Aeturnam
Year: 2016
Label: Metal-on-Metal Records
Genre: Blackened Heavy/Doom Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Ad Aeternum
2. Terra Santa
3. The Messenger
4. The Key of Splendour
5. Hex and Heresy
6. Seal of Damnation
7. Invocations of Unlight
8. Illuminati (Will to Power)

One of the scene’s most important figure-heads, Malta-based artist Albert Bell’s solo project Sacro Sanctus has continued on a much more blackened doom style than his other works in the scene. Picking up from the last album charting the Last Crusades, the Templars' discovery of ancient hermetic texts, their persecution and executions, the curse of de Molay and the infiltration into secret societies by the surviving ones this second album was released April 29, 2016 on Metal-on-Metal Records.

From the very beginning, this continues to explore the fuzz-laden origins of doom metal with the lashings of traditional metal which leaves this with an enjoyable and dynamic old-school approach. The predominance of the churning, fuzzy doom sloughing through the rhythms here keeps this one for the most part running along at quite a lapse pace with the generally simplistic rhythms holding this one into the nearly perfect setting to keep the rumbling riff-work up-front and dominating the release while they run through the kind of general variances of plodding, sluggish patterns in the heavier end of traditional heavy/doom metal to slightly more up-tempo varieties that recall the kind of swirling black metal leads mixed into the procedings that gives this a more extreme edge than expected. Though that doesn’t necessarily get added into here quite as often as expected, it still gets in enough to off-set the predominate plodding rhythms here that does manage to drag this down slightly with those sprawling, sluggish doom crawls making the music quite down-beat and really lacking in energy. Though it does have the kind of bouncy rhythms here that do keep this listenable with the inclusion of a more traditional heavy metal background instead of a doom background, it does manage to keep this from really going where it could’ve had this been given a slightly more up-tempo backbeat.

Though it does come with a minor problem with it’s generally sluggish tempos, there’s still enough to really like about this one that it becomes rather appealing only for those who prefer the other works of those involved or who generally prefer this sluggish, plodding form of doom-riddled traditional metal.

Score: 78/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
https://metalonmetalrecords.bandcamp.com/album/albert-bells-sacro-sanctus-ad-aeternum

Arkham Witch - Get Thothed Vol. II EP

Artist: Arkham Witch
Release Title: Get Thothed Vol. II EP
Year: 2016
Label: Metal-on-Metal Records
Genre: Heavy/Doom Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Love the Lamp
2. Sunshine
3. Ancient Fire
4. Serpentine
5. Blood on Satan's Claw

The new EP from UK heavy/doom metallers Arkham Witch follows along the conventions of their previous attempt at this style rather nicely which makes for a really fun time. This is still very much in their woven style of classic rock riffs and proto-metal rhythms that merge together with plodding doom paces and psychedelic-fueled riff-work into a stellar and overall dynamic mixture which allows for the music to really weave through several varied styles. Rocking along at a stellar mid-tempo groove with nicely churning rhythms, picking up the tempo with some stylish speed-drenched efforts that sound even faster against the sluggish, heavy-handed paces elsewhere all come together into an eclectic yet still-coherent mix that makes for a truly fun offering that winds throughout the tracks as it makes these seemingly at-odds elements sound perfectly natural within the confines of the dark atmospheres conjured up here, and it’s what really sells this one even with it being mostly cover songs for the most part. That the best track here is their original work does speak somewhat to the remaining tracks even if it all comes together nicely in the end as this one manages to feel like a solid piece of work despite the short running time here.

For the most part the tracks have a lot to like here. Opener ‘Love the Lamp’ immediately opens with a strong rocking riff with bouncy drumming keeping the rocking energy moving along at a steady pace as the change-over into steady, swirling psychedelic-styled rhythms plods along through the stylized solo section before getting back to the rousing up-tempo rhythms rocking along through the final half for a rather enjoyable opening. ‘Sunshine’ uses a tight, hard-hitting rocking pace with plenty of rousing, energetic drumming keeping the steady, straightforward rhythms as the buzzing psychedelic rocking riff-work keeps buzzing along throughout the engaging, energetic solo section as the rocking rhythms continue on through the finale for another decent enough effort. ‘Ancient Fire’ takes rumbling, buzzing rhythms and rocking drum-work settling on a buzzing mid-tempo pace with rumbling patterns leading into a frantic and energetic outburst of stylish riffing and tight pounding drumming carrying along through the rocking solo section and into the hard-charging final half for the album’s clear highlight. ‘Serpentine’ features a hard-rocking mid-tempo rhythm with solid, steady drumming holding the fuzzy, buzzing riff-work along at the rocking pace as the changeover into a steady, rumbling psychedelic-flavored mid-range break before launching back into the frenetic up-tempo finale for a fine and enjoyable effort. Lastly, ‘Blood on Satan's Claw’ features the call-and-response intro before turning into a stylized mid-tempo series of rocking rhythms and pounding drumming that keeps the energetic rhythms bouncing along nicely during the steady mid-tempo solo section and keeping the rocking rhythms along through the final half for a decent lasting impression.

Though there’s a few bum tracks that are decent if decidedly lacking against the others, this one still has enough solid points about it to warrant enough of an inclusion for fans of the bands’ previous works, lovers of Lovecraftian-inspired efforts or simply fans of the style as a whole.

Score: 80/100

Does it sound good? Order from here:
http://metal-on-metal.com/shop/#!/PRE-ORDER-ARKHAM-WITCH-“Get-Thothed-Vol-II”-MCD/p/65493604/category=2707104