By: Richard Maw
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released:
22/10/2016
Label: Independent
Make
no mistake, Desolate Pathway have delivered an epic doom record of epic
proportions: light and shade, massive riffs, great performances, a downcast
atmosphere... it's all here
“Of Gods and
Heroes” CD//DD track listing:
1).
Intro
2).
The Old Ferryman
3).
The Perilous Sea
4).
Medusa’s Lair
5).
Into the Realms of Poseidon
6).
Enchanted Voices
7).
Gods of the Deep
8).
The Winged Divinity
9).
Trojan War
The Review:
Desolate
Pathway
follow up their rather excellent debut with this, their sophomore release.
Musically, this is doom. Trad doom, to be precise. It's low and slow, but with
clean and clear vocals which weave stories of ancient myths in amongst the
riffery.
The
themes here take in exactly what the title denotes; ancient myths and legends-
tales of courage, magic and honour. “Enchanted”
Voices runs the gamut of doom riffage with slow, mid paced and swinging
variants all getting an airing. You can play spot the reference/mythology as
the album progresses. Medusa gets a look in, as does Poseidon (as you will know
from the advance single), the Iliad, or more specifically the battles and
characters involved, gets a look in on “Trojan
War” and all of it is delivered with a gravitas worthy of Christopher Lee
at his peak.
This
is epic stuff: big melodic vocals, big riffs and solos from Vince and nicely
dynamic drumming from Mags (making full use of the kit; lots of cymbals, double
kick, toms... but never cluttered). It's dark too (the intro to “Medusa's Lair” is classic full on doom
before echoing that classic Sabbath riff from their fifth album). The
guest bassists put in solid performances when they appear (take a bow Sealey,
my compatriot in Iron Void) and over the course of the eight tracks proper
the album is a journey through the darker sections of the ancient world.
Make
no mistake, Desolate Pathway have
delivered an epic doom record of epic proportions: light and shade, massive
riffs, great performances, a downcast atmosphere... it's all here (in fact,
it's all in the opener “The Old Ferryman”,
let alone the rest of the album). Doom fans can buy this one safe in the
knowledge that they are in for a treat.
“Of Gods and Heroes” is available here
