PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Soothsayer hail from Ireland and have been described as doom merchants, however there is a lot more on offer here than doom. They present two hefty tracks with a mixture of influences which have been moulded together to give a unique and dense sound. The First track “Umpire”, begins with a slow dirge accented by the drums and a semi clean guitar adding colour with discordance. It is almost peaceful as the band begins to gradually join in with more urgency. It is almost 5 minutes before the first vocals are heard over a gradual repeating tom sequence before it erupts into a full on black metal assault. Obvious comparisons will be made to the whole post black metal scene, however these guys have paid attention to their tones and sounds and have an intense sound which is well separated where the riffs are not being lost in a haze of cymbals. The bass is clear and easy to hear, the drum sound is a little on the boxy side but once you get accustomed to it, it is only a minor gripe. The vocals operate on varying levels of harsh which is confusing on first listen, although repeated listens reveals nuances in the vocals and the instruments. The second track “Of Locusts and Moths” introduces a chant feel to the intro which descends into black metal chaos with interesting melodies, again with a semi clean tone working against the distorted guitars and the bass playing interesting runs behind it. All in all an interesting release and for sure a band to watch, they have recently signed with Transcending Obscurity records for their first full length release. Soothsayer could be the ones to fill the void that Altar of Plagues leaves behind in their down time.
Tracklist
- Umpire
- Of Locusts and Moths
www.soothsayerdoom.bandcamp.com
