Easily the greatest Doom album to come out since 1995, Warning's sophomore release showcases not only maturity, but utter transcendence of their previous work. This album reflects the sort of sorrow and loss bands such as While Heaven Wept attempt to conjure but fail miserably. A seven year wait is more than justified when material like this sees the light of day, these long funeral dirges marching into corners of melancholic, destitute oblivion.
Each track exhibits unparalleled Doom, reminiscent of Candlemass at their most reflective (Ancient Dreams, At The Gallows End), Saint Vitus at the peak of hopelessness (Burial At Sea, Dying Inside) and Trouble at their most tormented (The Tempter, Wickedness of Man). Despite comparisons to older bands, none of this material seems dated, as the presentation flawlessly combines these influences into a unique approach, sometimes even bordering on funeral doom in its slow, hopeless trudge.
Patrick Walker's background as an actor shines through his vocal performance, giving off dramatic projections that communicate the words of each song with radiant fluidity, but also with discipline, as the vocals don't go too far over the top. Lyrically, the songs are strikingly well crafted, which admittedly is an absolute rarity in the world of Heavy Metal, as the genre's compulsory repertoire remains populated by teen angst and childhood visions of epic battles. Each track is based around a certain tenet of either tragedy or mournful longing, the devastating feeling of inability to take charge of one's circumstances in "Footprints," yearning for love and understanding in the title track and sociological anxiety with "Bridges."
Go to www.evillegendrecords.com or www.hellridemusic.com and buy this album, right now. If you have any semblance of enjoyment for Doom Metal, this masterpiece will rip at your very being, challenging life and the impetus to live. I can only hope this review gets through to as many people as possible. Get it NOW!
Each track exhibits unparalleled Doom, reminiscent of Candlemass at their most reflective (Ancient Dreams, At The Gallows End), Saint Vitus at the peak of hopelessness (Burial At Sea, Dying Inside) and Trouble at their most tormented (The Tempter, Wickedness of Man). Despite comparisons to older bands, none of this material seems dated, as the presentation flawlessly combines these influences into a unique approach, sometimes even bordering on funeral doom in its slow, hopeless trudge.
Patrick Walker's background as an actor shines through his vocal performance, giving off dramatic projections that communicate the words of each song with radiant fluidity, but also with discipline, as the vocals don't go too far over the top. Lyrically, the songs are strikingly well crafted, which admittedly is an absolute rarity in the world of Heavy Metal, as the genre's compulsory repertoire remains populated by teen angst and childhood visions of epic battles. Each track is based around a certain tenet of either tragedy or mournful longing, the devastating feeling of inability to take charge of one's circumstances in "Footprints," yearning for love and understanding in the title track and sociological anxiety with "Bridges."
Go to www.evillegendrecords.com or www.hellridemusic.com and buy this album, right now. If you have any semblance of enjoyment for Doom Metal, this masterpiece will rip at your very being, challenging life and the impetus to live. I can only hope this review gets through to as many people as possible. Get it NOW!
