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Coventry's
own 'doom metallers' Cathedral return with their 8th album,
'The Garden Of Unearthly Delights', a release that hails the bands
return to form. The band have taken the genre to new heights in the past
by incorporating different musical styles into their releases, but with
this new album they go back to basics and redefine the doom metal genre.
The album starts off proper with 'Tree Of Life And Death'. A full on
doom assault on the senses that showcases the bands trademark powerful
guitar riffs, and slow deliberate vocals, which leave you in no doubt
that the band really do mean business this time.
The next track 'North Berwick Witch Trials' is a more up tempo affair as
far as doom metal goes, and is very reminiscent of early Black Sabbath
in its overall conception, although the vocals aren’t quite Ozzy.
The album continues to show the bands reluctance to conform to the
stereotypical metal release, and continue releasing their own brand of
hard hitting doom laden metal. Well if it isn’t broken don’t fix it!
This is none more prominent than with the tracks 'Corpsecycle' with it
heavy distorted bass, and the total change in direction with the
instrumental 'Fields of Zagara'. The powerful 'Oro The Manslayer'
just shows the diversity of the band and their ability to continue to
come up with the goods where needed.
But the icing on the cake has to be the 27 minute long track 'The
Garden'. A track that mixes haunting female vocals, with
thunderous guitar riffs, and mind crushing rhythm sections.
There's so many tempo and mood changes that it almost makes your head
spin with its sheer complexity. Thus making this the ultimate
statement that Cathedral are back and are ready for the world even if
the world aren’t ready for them.
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