Iron Fist Magazine

Danish doom-dealers Altar Of Oblivion return with a new EP that offers up more of the same as the full-length album that preceded it. This is doom of the traditional and epic variety, a style that stays true to the musical and stylistic roots of the genre with plenty of tempo changes throughout, although the focus is definitely on the more up-tempo scale of things with this release.

However, when they do slow proceedings down it makes those sections sound all the more crushing. They build upon the foundation of each song with layers of solid heavy classic crunching doom metal riffage. Some tasteful clean guitar passages and mournful melodies are interspersed over the course of the recording as well as some impressive leads, which weave their way through the musical framework. The vocals are clean sung and suit the epic atmosphere of the music, soaring confidently over the meaty riffs. Every good doom band needs a tight rhythm section and the drums and bass on this recording anchor down the low end creating a powerful wave of heaviness, which is bolstered by the strong, dense and sharp production.

Classics of the epic doom metal genre, such as Candlemass and Solitude Aeturnus, spring to mind although the vocals are perhaps not as strong and commanding as those of the aforementioned pioneers… but vocalist Mik is improving with each release and has developed his own unique style. It is very obvious that both bands have had a significant influence on the dark and doomy hymns of Altar Of Oblivion, both musically and vocally, but this EP will also appeal to fans of Solstice, Procession and those current doom bands who put the emphasis on the epic. 

Epicus Danishicus Metallicus.

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