The end of the long wait draws nigh
.the new Warning album is upon us. To say that it offers five new songs over about 50 minutes would be technically accurate, but woefully short of true to the experience this represents
..that would be more like five immense journeys to the core of human experience.
Those who say doom metal is one dimensional would do well to clap ears round the new The Gates of Slumber and then this. The Gates of Slumber have nearly set a new standard for dragging the listener by the throat through epic vistas spanning land, time and reality, demanding the full engagement of the listener
.mind, body and spirit. Warning embark on a similarly epic journey, though inwards rather than outwards. The five offerings here both reveal the tremendous depth and breadth of the mental, emotional and spiritual (not in a religious sense) experiences of their creators and at the same time push, pull and hypnotize the listeners spirit into its own depths. The power of both orientations is nearly off the scale and these two albums make clear in the here and now the superiority of true doom metal to the drone wannabes
True doom challenges the listener and demands the full investment of mind, body and spirit, alternately pummeling and rewarding, provoking and teaching. It takes intelligence, talent and connectedness with oneself to create and to fully appreciate. Drone attempts to mimic that effect with overly simplistic physicality assaulting the chemically addled mind and soul. Drugged and shocked lab monkeys, like Sunn O))) concert goers, know theyve been through a sensory experience. Unlike said concert goers, theyre not pretentious enough to ascribe any deep meaning to it.
So if you are going to give this a spin, heed this warning: be free of fear, be committed in the whole of your being to the impending experience and profane not the Temple of Doom
.
Push play and Watching from a Distance immediately serves you with the full stride power of Warning. The guitar cuts a deep path of fully doomed out, woeful melody like the highly polished and sharpened sword of a giant cutting through the listeners soul. The drums hammer the cadence of doom home with authority (thunderous those tom fills!), while the bass fills and connects, deftly moving from slotted in the gaps to effectively underpinning either the drums or guitars. Quickly apparent is the maturity level present in the song writing. The melody lines are deceptively simple on a surface level, but the way secondary melodies and slight alterations to the main one are woven into the tapestry of the song speak to prolific fountains of effort and talent. The overall sound is an immense towering mountain of melodic doom. Listening is akin to looking up at thousand foot Tsunami about to break on ones head and yet be mesmerized by the beauty of the wave even as death looms
.
The vocals enter as both an additional instrument and a vehicle for communication. While at times they are slightly reminiscent of other vocalists, Ill not do them the injustice of comparing for they are more unique then similar. Its with these (though the music somehow foretells the focus somehow) that the nature of the journey, the inward focus, is nailed down. Highly personal and emotional, they step effortlessly from very concrete to very abstract aural paintings of the dark realms of human experience. Major points are hereby awarded for top shelf doom vocals throughout this album.
Footprints rides in next, the slow but thunderous pounding of war horses iron hooves. The main riff is a thing of doom metal beauty, and, as is requisite for all fine art, well framed by the rhythm section. Once more emotional vocals that are intense, but not a bit overdone or affected, convey a powerful message from the depths of the spirit. The warrior/soldier amidst the wrecked ruins of the fort he swore to defend is a powerful metaphor that speaks strongly to any that have felt the soul searing pain of recognizing that they were unable to fully honor something that meant everything to them. Like every song on this disc Footprints is through and through doom metal of the highest caliber.
Bridges continues the procession of awesome doom. Like its predecessors it rivets the attention throughout its entire length (11 and one half minutes). Massive yet melodic riffs unfurl, mournful vocals emote and the cavernous yet steely rhythm section thunders underneath. Faces and Echoes continue to present all the above referenced attributes attached to unique melodies and composition. Each song is complete and cohesive (no mean feat with a 10 minute average length) and in turn the entire album presents as a complete and cohesive work. Many bands and albums require a lot of changes in tempo and style to avoid listeners burning out and losing interest. Not a bit of that going on here, nor any need for it. This album holds the listener in rapt attention. Many bands fall victim to jack of all trades, master of none syndrome, not Warning
masters of doom metal.
What Warning have delivered is an indisputable doom metal masterpiece, one that will stand the tests of repeated spins and time (its a grower too, loved it at first listen and it gets better and better with every spin), one that will assure their place forever in doom lore. This album artfully mines the vast and under developed territory between classic Solitude Aeturnus/Candlemass and Saint Vitus. If the mention of those doom legends seems an overstatement, or threatens to cast a shadow, let me assure you that with this release Warning have placed themselves in that league
in an irrefutable fashion. If you love doom metal, you absolutely have to have this album. If you prefer to tune out and simply have your senses bombarded, it may not be for you
.it demands your investment to reveal all its treasures.
Couldn't stand Khanate or Teeth Of Lions Rule The Divine.
