By: Richard Maw
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 23/02/2018
Label: Cruz Del Sur Music
“From Gold To Ash” is heavy as lead
and in places just as toxic, guitars are like slabs of unyielding concrete,
with the bulk of the album as dark as the blackest pitch in tone and content. From opening instrumental “Overlord” to the
closing “Grey Farewell”, Apostle of Solitude stake their claim for having
recorded the best doom release of 2018.”
“From Gold To Ash” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1).
Overlord
2).
Ruination Be Thy Name
3).
Autumn Moon
4).
Keeping The Lighthouse
5).
My Heart is Leaving Here
6).
Monochrome (discontent)
7).
Grey Farewell
The Review:
Indiana
has produced some of the best metal ever in the form of The Gates of Slumber,
and Apostle of Solitude continue in that fine
doom tradition. Chuck Brown, the original drummer for TGOS
features on guitar and vocals, keeping a nice link to the Indianapolis doom
scene. This is a rumbling, raw, traditional slab of doom metal. From opening
instrumental “Overlord” to the
closing “Grey Farewell”, the band
stake their claim for having recorded the best trad doom release of 2018.
It's
heavy as lead and in places just as toxic- “Ruination Be Thy Name” is as dark as they come. There are moments
of sweetness in the interlude “Autumn
Moon”, but the bulk of the album is as dark as the blackest pitch in tone
and content. The guitars are like slabs of unyielding concrete and bassist Mike
Naish's bass sound and playing come from a man who has hands thick with muscle.
Most full length songs here are well north of the six minute mark, with “Keeping The Lighthouse” being concise
at 6.23, but the likes of “My Heart Is
Leaving Here” clock up close to ten minutes of playing time.
With
that in mind, this is not an album for the casual doom fan; this is surely for
the faithful, the aficionado- the dedicated. There is a traditional heavy metal
influence here in places, both within the vocal melodies and even the riffs
(just a lot slower) but really this is true doom all the way. “Monochrome (Discontent)” is a fine
example- speed it up and it becomes something akin to Angel Witch.
By the time of “Grey Farewell”, the
mood of the album- that of grey skies, cold days and unending despairing
regrets- has firmly taken hold. This is not for the faint of heart and is
instead for the bravest among the doom warriors out there. It's also a
brilliant record; deep and dark.
“From
Gold To Ash” is available here
