Monday 15 October 2012

Serpentine Path - 'Serpentine Path' (Album Review)

By: John Slaymaker

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 11/09/2012
Label: Relapse Records



These songs lumber along nicely not over stretched, I think well organised and quite a bit of time went into writing them, as they try successfully to structure these tunes so that the listening experience is perfect for this genre. Expect great genre defining things from them.


‘Serpentine Path’ CD//DD//LP track Listing:

1) Arrows: (05:00)
2) Crotalus Horridus Horridus (06:27)
3) Bats Amongst Heathens: (03:51)
4) Beyond The Dawn Of Time (06:40)
5) Obsoletion: (05:30)
6) Aphelion: (03:06)
7) Compendium Of Suffering (04:51)
8) Only A Monolith Remains: (06:30)


Serpentine Path is:
Ryan Lipynsky | Vocals
Jay Newman | Bass
Darren Verni | Drums
Stephen Flam | Guitars
Tim Bagshaw | Guitars and Vocals

The Review:

Serpentine Path is basically all of Unearthly Trance one part Ramesses and one third Winter. New York’s Unearthly Trance broke up earlier in the summer, I assume to concentrate on this band. They met Tim Bagshaw in 2002 whilst touring with Electric Wizard, and struck up a friendship and desire to play together then. It was not until they finished recording the album that 2nd guitarist Stephen Flam from doom trio Winter joined.

‘Arrows’ starts us on our doom encrusted journey and even though vocalist Ryan Lipynsky is a excellent guitarist in his own right, his talents are not needed here, leaving him to concentrate on his surly vocals, giving the album it’s perfect balance and necessary high vocal mix. The second song here, ‘Crotalus Horridus Horridus’ is one of the longest tracks , but at six and a half minutes does all it needs to in such a short time. These songs lumber along nicely not over stretched, I think well organised and quite a bit of time went into writing them, as they try successfully to structure these tunes so that the listening experience is perfect for this genre.  Not particularly challenging but ‘Beyond The Dawn Of Time’ has a great way of keeping you transfixed even with its seriously slow pacing and drawn out sections, and at only 5 minutes you would think this great riff is lasting forever.

‘Obsoletion’ is my favourite song here as the guitar intro swings about like some kind of ape type beast demonstrating his masculinity.  ‘Aphelion’ is the shortest song but with real vibrant guitars and vocals it seems to almost stand alone as a proper doom tune, riffs fire at you with a backpack full of Vitus and Sabbath. ‘Only A Monolith Remains’ is a typical wind down track keeping you hanging on for more as the end riff fades to black. I would love to see this band tour the UK with bands like Undersmile and Conan. Expect great genre defining things from them.


You can purchase the CD here, Vinyl here and digitally here.  



Band info: Facebook Blogspot