Album Type : Full Length
Date Released : 17/3/2014
Label : Rise Above Records
The Oath, album track listing :
1. All Must Die
2.Silk Road
3. Night Child
4. Leaving Together
2.
3. Night Child
4. Leaving Together
5. Black Rainbow
6. Silver and Dust
7. Death Delight
8. In Dream
9. Psalm 7
6. Silver and Dust
7. Death Delight
8. In Dream
9. Psalm 7
The Band
Linnéa Olsson | Guitars
Johanna Sadonis | Vocals
Review :
The Oath are the latest band to be blessed with Rise Above's attention. Determinedly retro and hard rocking, All Must Die kicks things off with a swinging tempo and lots of bass runs. There is a distinct garage rock vibe to the riffing while the vocals take on the witchy kind of style that Blood Ceremony present.
The Oath are not as musically diverse as some within the doom genre- this is straight ahead hard rock out of the 70's with doom inflections in the themes and riffs. Satan gets mentioned early, just in case you are in any doubt.
Silk Road follows with a small build up and then gets down to business- again the tempo is groove some with a couple of changes here and there. Night Child is a propulsive rocker with a dark flavour to the main riff. Leaving Together has a more sombre guitar opening and caries on the atmospherics into the verse- things get heavier, though...
Black Rainbow is up-tempo with vocal melodies that follow the changes in the riff. Half time surfaces and then the track switches back and forth effectively. Silver and Dust has an insistent riff and good pacing with a nice breakdown and change section in the latter half.
Death Delight has strong vocals/melodies that are well delivered and propel the track along. In Dream, meanwhile, honours the time honoured tradition of a two minute acoustic track- very welcome- and it acts as an ideal primer for the closing epic Psalm 7. Slow to start, the track builds in layers with guitar and voice, bass and so on until the heaviness comes in after a rather dreamy few minutes.
All in all, this a self assured debut, brimming with riffs and retro sounds. Is it worthy of the attention that has been bestowed upon it? Only one way to find out...
Words : Richard Maw
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