DOOM^{or be doomed}

Lento - Supernatural Records One

Now THIS is what a collaboration should sound like - 95%

Collaborations between doom bands are typically good times, but while getting two bands together can generate some interesting results (Thinking mainly of Sunn/Boris and Nadja/Atavist, although there's quite a few others), the end product, while interesting and perhaps somewhat unique, just isn't anywhere near as good as the product of the individual bands.

Well, normally anyway. Ufomammut are a solid if not particularly unique doom band, and I haven't heard any Lento, but I doubt they're as good individually as this album is. The end result of two competent but overall unremarkable sludge bands has resulted in an absolute beast of an album.

Descriptions are fairly simple, but only really scratch the surface of just how good this project is. Electric Wizard at their most stoned and psychedelic covering mid-period Neurosis, or perhaps mid-period Neurosis covering the more psychedelic Electric Wizard songs. Feedback everywhere, heaps and heaps of suitably drugged out effects (these dudes love their flangers), a huge amount of layers (I guess having 8 dudes at the recording session helped this aspect a lot), more tribal beats then Through Silver in Blood and Enemy of the Sun combined (Particularly in the excellent freak out that's the third track) , and buried screams into oblivion, and even a few riffs hanging around here and there. Another good description would be a really, really stoned early Isis covering.. mid period Neurosis- Down a particularly good example, with some very celestial-like riffs.

And it's pretty hard to say much else about this really. A quick review of this would basically be "Mid Period Neurosis with more effects", as that's basically what it is. However, that is by no means a bad thing, especially when it's this well done. Whether it's the huge, tribal beats and hypnotic feedbackin' and riffin', and even the glimpse of redemption and light that's the excellent 'Overlord', this album slays hard. Messy, hypnotic, harrowing doom that's pretty much essential for anyone who likes their stuff slow and really heavy. Highly recommended, and I really hope that these guys get together for another recording session sometime.



By: C.Y.