Ελληνικά
Last Updated on 12:35 PM by Lilliana Tseka
Genre: Epic Doom
Country: Greece
Label: Steel Gallery Records
Year: 2017
I’ve been waiting for a long time for the return of Doomocracy, and that’s not because the Epic Doom releases of our times can be counted on one hand. The main reason of my waiting has to do mainly with the excellent debut which already ranks it among the classical releases of the genre. The ceiling has been raised too high. The bet for the band was great and expectations of each listener about what will follow even larger.
So I press the play button and “Ghosts Of The Past” welcomes me. Clear, rugged riffing. Slow-moving almost mid tempo – doom-appropriate -, gains the required space for the lead guitar spot to break out. More tunes… frame the key issues bulky and a lyrical, narrative Stavrakakis adorns the track with his voice. My breath is shortened.
The enigmatic and based on bass-and with an almost prog setting- start of “Lucid Plains Of Ra”, is waiting for me on the corner. The main theme is developed elaborately and gives space to the vocals. The chorus manifests clearly and loudly the charisma with which it is endowed: The aura of the golden Candlemass period of the second and third album. Furthermore, Doomocracy exists because the musicians breathe with such albums. The theme of the intro and the epilogue -by honourable Miguel Robaina’s hand, who played keyboards for the great Memento Mori- gives the necessary –according to the concept of the track- oriental touch to the song and fortunately for us such approaches -with oriental scales and so on – can be found in other, even smarter part of the band’s new album. God bless Epic Doom Metal for this. I should note that Miguel has played the keys in four Doomocracy tracks of this album: “Ghosts Of The Past”, “Lucid Plains Of Ra”, “One With Pain” and “Trinity Of Fates”.
“My Bane” starts angrily despite the seductive introduction. It shows you clearly that the band knows how to handle the riffing style it is serving. While the objective of the average “Doom” band of our times is the “dry and heavy heavy riffs” –makes me puke- Doomocracy develop every riff, using the triptych of inspiration, clarity and technicality. So they give space for the song to spread the virtues of building a base with great riffs, bridges and changes. Thus the redemptive approaches of the guitar and vocals can rise up. The chorus here will haunt me for a long time. Wish me luck.
It is quite surprising that the hypnotic vocal melody can coexist in the stormy first part of “My Pain”. The piece will fall gradually revealing a beautiful acoustic part leading the way for a break out with Stavrakakis reaching the heading heavenward where he is welcomed by one of the most well written solos of the album, laying under riff boulders that will lead us into the narrative epilogue. Tzanis and Dokos are excellent here.
For “Guardian Within” I can only write a word that could be considered a cliché. Epic. Can I continue this review after hearing it at least 4-5 times on repeat? Thank you. So allow me to write for the “Visions And Creatures Of Imagination”, for which I would like to add that it is quite simply one of the most complete Doom Metal compositions I have heard in recent years. The funeral introduction (with keys having the first word), will lead to a beautiful verse, with the vocals touching an interpretive perfection. The track unfolds sacramentally before us… It grabs you by the neck and hypnotizes you. Sublime.
I’ve already reached “Trinity Of Fates”. The mournful yet almost anthemic drums leave a small opening for the bass to break in and I keep thinking of how this band has filtered so good the days when Leif shone glorious, since that first chorus will bring Candlemass once again in my mind. Soon though, nice Doomocracy themes will reach my ears as well. “It’s a case in which the influences serve as inspiration and not a photocopy.” That’s what I’m thinking. The track justifies my thought with its rich development. I smile; and rewrite that Manolis Sx here gives his best with his bass. Let me also add that I have identified this melancholic but yet stressful touch of Psychotic Waltz in this piece, as well. Those gray guitar themes, that interpretation of vocals… I keep listening to it on repeat… Listen to it and talk to me about your thoughts.
The album’s last track fills the air. Looking at its title “A Taste Of Absinthe”, I’m thinking that it’s not the first time in Epic Doom Metal a band writes about absinthe. Isole in “Demon In Green” from “Throne Of Void”, their second album, has already elaborated in this theme. Anyway here we are dealing with one of the most imposing and epic album compositions. Here the dialogue between bass and drums builds a rhythmic substrate heavy as stone. Guitars and vocals can do wonders. And that’s what they actually do. Stavrakakis’ interpretative placements here and at the same time the almost hypnotic pattern of the piece brought Mayfair’s “Behind …” in mind. If I didn’t mention that I would’ve bursted. The listening session is over. What’s the aftermath?
As a whole, the album presents a band that has taken its work very seriously and works constantly and with pressure in all of its aspects. First of all, Doomocracy are working on more lengthy compositions with a variety of topics. It’s not enough to just have good ideas placed one next to the other. They sweat on them and turn them into complete songs. The material is dark, eerie and dare I say even heavier than the debut album. It does not however lose its splendor and lyricism.
The production of the multitool called Jim Morris (Iced Earth, Death, Crimson Glory) gives the songs the necessary air they need. Eventually in Florida they know something about sound. Icing on the cake is the amazing artwork Sonnet Jean-Philippe designed that seamlessly blends with the atmosphere of the album.
For those who will ask if the “Visions And Creatures Of Imagination” is better than “The End Is Written”, it’s up to you to decide. Each individual will decide according to his own listening experience. The issue here is that Doomocracy seem to be in this second album even more mature and more aware with regard to the style in which the band has committed to follow. The lyrical epic Doom Metal. Candlemass and Solitude Aeturnus would be very proud of their intelligent children when they hear this record.
5/6
