Electric Wizard
Let Us Prey
Rise Above
2002
by Nathan Pearce
With some of the heaviest and most punishing releases, in recent years, coming from the extreme doom genre, its getting harder for a band to topple the listener over with the sheer heaviness of down tuned guitars. Electric Wizard, however, doesnt even comprehend a normal sense of heaviness. With rising popularity and excessive drug use, the band has evoked anger within themselves that previous releases from the band (especially Dopethrone) dont have.
Let Us Prey is the bands crowning achievement in tortured, feedback laden heaviness. Guitars latch on to a riff and ride it into the ground, only to bring it back from the grave with incantations of grim, desolate noise. Vocals lurk in the background only to provide a demonic allure to the blackened doom of guitars with amps cranked to 11 and drums pummeling away as if the forces of hell are being held at bay only by the snapping of drumsticks on every beat and cymbal crash.
Let Us Prey encompasses the darker, bleaker side of extreme doom/drone, while Dopethrone seemed to almost give off a groovy feel reminiscent of at least one or two positive feelings in the band's life. However, dont expect only massive guitars and tortured vocals; the band has incorporated piano and even a little violin. This, once again, only contributes to the overall feeling of utter desolation of the entire album.
Warhorse and Khanate did it last year. This, however, is the year of Electric Wizard. The British doomsters have toppled the heavyweights with their brand of drug infested darkness. Let Us Prey is the essence of filth and nihilism with the mind of a drug addict.
9.5/10
www.electricwizard.net
Let Us Prey
Rise Above
2002
by Nathan Pearce
With some of the heaviest and most punishing releases, in recent years, coming from the extreme doom genre, its getting harder for a band to topple the listener over with the sheer heaviness of down tuned guitars. Electric Wizard, however, doesnt even comprehend a normal sense of heaviness. With rising popularity and excessive drug use, the band has evoked anger within themselves that previous releases from the band (especially Dopethrone) dont have.
Let Us Prey is the bands crowning achievement in tortured, feedback laden heaviness. Guitars latch on to a riff and ride it into the ground, only to bring it back from the grave with incantations of grim, desolate noise. Vocals lurk in the background only to provide a demonic allure to the blackened doom of guitars with amps cranked to 11 and drums pummeling away as if the forces of hell are being held at bay only by the snapping of drumsticks on every beat and cymbal crash.
Let Us Prey encompasses the darker, bleaker side of extreme doom/drone, while Dopethrone seemed to almost give off a groovy feel reminiscent of at least one or two positive feelings in the band's life. However, dont expect only massive guitars and tortured vocals; the band has incorporated piano and even a little violin. This, once again, only contributes to the overall feeling of utter desolation of the entire album.
Warhorse and Khanate did it last year. This, however, is the year of Electric Wizard. The British doomsters have toppled the heavyweights with their brand of drug infested darkness. Let Us Prey is the essence of filth and nihilism with the mind of a drug addict.
9.5/10
www.electricwizard.net
