By: Richard Maw
Album Type: Full Length
Album Type: Full Length
“Distortions” track listing:
1. As Titans
2. Devils
3. Echoes
4. Obsess and Regress
5. Unseen, Unheard
6. Follow Me
7. Pictures Remain
The Review:
Yorkshire doom metal is a specific genre very close to my heart and here we have some of the finest practitioners of the genre doing what they do best. If you like the idea of epic doom metal, evocative of grim windswept landscapes and endless rain, then Godthrymm are also for you.
This is epic in scale and scope; everything over six minutes in length, with two of the tracks stretching to 11 mins plus. The band comprise ex-members of, deep breath, Vallenfyre, My Dying Bride, Anathema and Solstice. So, doom metal royalty? Pretty much.
Led by Hamish Glencross on guitars and vocals, the band sound incredible- massive and with plenty of dynamics via the use of keyboards from Catherine Glencross (who adds ethereal vocals to proceedings in places) and a rock-solid rhythm section courtesy of Bob Crolla and Shaun Taylor-Steels.
This is doom in the traditional sense of the word; emotive clean vocals, occasionally pummelling drums, huge riffs and a generally sad and melancholic feel all add up to a very atmospheric listen. The suitably massive “As Titans” opens up proceedings with a big statement of intent while “Devils” equals the opener for dark vibes.
There is variety here. “Unseen, Unheard” features a fast section of riffage and each song features a lot of oppressive weight and some lighter textures as well. The production is excellent; clear and huge with echoey vocals set at the top of the mix within their own space. There is no title track, but the epic penultimate track “Follow Me” perhaps serves as a mission statement for the record- it features most facets of the release in one sprawling epic. The band close with “Pictures Remain” which leaves a bitter-sweet melancholy for the listener to ruminate upon.
As an aural reference point, all the bands mentioned above and- of course- Paradise Lost fit the bill. It’s hard to convey just how much I enjoyed this on first listen; it’s massive, majestic, ethereal, earthy and every bit as atmospheric and epic as it should be. A must listen/must buy for fans of the genre.
“Distortions” is available HERE
