ALBUM REVIEW v2.0: Dopelord - "Children of the Haze"

By: Josh Nichols

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 16/01/2017

Label: Independent

Love them or loath them, Dopelord have found the recipe that appeals to them and seem content to carry on with it.  It may not satisfy every musical appetite, but when it’s what you’re in the mood for, nothing else will do, and nobody else is doing it better.

“Children of the Haze” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Navigator

2). Scum Priest

3). Children of the Haze

4). Skulls and Candles

5). Dead Inside (I & II)

6). Reptile Sun

The Review:

Before I started digging Dopelord, all I knew about Poland was Kielbasa, Pierogi and bad jokes about light bulbs. Honestly I never paid much attention to music nationality other than American and not American.  And even that didn’t matter much. Typical American. Dopelord is so consistently great though, that they’ve lead me on a Polish pilgrimage, delving into Belzebong, Major Kong and even new comers Spaceslug.  The list goes on and on, and please chime in with your favorite. I feel like I need to get my passport in order because these doom shredding Poles have tapped into something excellent.  Since they are often compared to Electric Wizard, I have to say that atop the Polish Dopethrone sit Dopelord, and their latest offering is an excellent reason why.

If you’re a fan of heavy stoner doom, “Children of the Haze” just gives you more of what you’re looking for.  If you’re not, than you probably stopped reading at pierogi. That really seems to be the case with metal heads and doom.  You either grow weary of the repetitive Sabbath worship or you can never get enough. Here at Sludgelord, we are of the latter persuasion. A great track like “Navigator” has the ability to take you to that euphoric haze without ever “holding bong in hand”, as they say again and again through the rich lethargic sludge groove.  Just as you fall under their sway, they shift gears with “Scum Priest”. They pick up the pace a bit and add a rare harsh vocal to shake you out of that stupor just a bit before sucking you right back in with the hypnotic title track.

Honestly, this album flows so well that giving a track by track breakdown doesn’t really do it justice.  There are subtle shifts throughout, but they always seem to maintain a mood that keeps you in that sweet spot.  Heavy fuzzed out riffs, mind melting solos and dank homage at the altar of doom.  What else is there?  A little high, a little low, a little clean, a little harsh, but always swaying you back to the center.  Truly, it’s what they’ve been doing and perfecting for three albums now.  The only curve ball on the album is the final track, “Reptile Sun”. A fine song by itself, it veers more into harsh rock and roll territory than the stoner doom they were laying down for the previous 35 minutes.  If I may borrow from Yob, it’s like they are saying “time to wake up!” “Reptile Sun” seems to break the spell they cast, freeing you with a final burst of energy.

Love them or loath them, Dopelord have found the recipe that appeals to them and seem content to carry on with it.  It may not satisfy every musical appetite, but when it’s what you’re in the mood for, nothing else will do, and nobody else is doing it better.

“Children of the Haze” is available digitally here and you can preorder/buy the CD//LP edition here

FFO: Belzebong, Electric Wizard, Black Sabbath, Major Kong

Band info: bandcamp || facebook