HOUR OF 13 – Black Magick Rites
Shadow Kingdom Records
I love how the promo for this reads "Shadow Kingdom Records is proud to present HOUR OF 13's long-awaited fourth album, Black Magick Rites." Ah yeah well actually this was a self release from a year ago. But anyways it's good to see this band available to the masses again in a full length status. That's as opposed to the many compilations and short form releases we've seen since 2012's 333 full length.
Originally HOUR OF 13 were a North Carolina doom band from the late 2000's. That's were I came in to liking them. Everyone loves a local. Basically it's always been a one man project by multi-instrumentalist Chad Davis. The band's early releases had Phil Swanson on vocals who was an amazing singer. But that duo didn't work out. So over the remaining years Chad has taken on the full time vocal duties which appear on all of the short releases he's done since the last full length.
Once again on this full length HOUR OF 13 come away with a sound which is touched with one foot in the majestic past and the other stepping forward. Musically for part of this seven song release Chad pushes the melodic doom approach from past releases. His vocals come off more like punk gothic than what any fan of past works with Phil Swanson are use to.
Over the time this release moves on to a pattern of old school doom (but not SABBATH) simplicity which does inject some life with a energetic guitar solo or two. But the barren landscape of copying past greats gets it's fill put forth to a point where you're like OK enough. As much as I like 70's influenced and early 80's doom, as well as bands emulating it. I'd rather not spend my time listening to a release where I try to guess which past artist is this modern recording copying.
https://www.shadowkingdomrecords.com/
LISTEN HERE:
https://shadowkingdomrecords.bandcamp.com/album/black-magick-rites
No comments:
Post a Comment