Release
date: July 25th
2015. Label: Self Released. Formats: DD
III:
Tracklisting
1.Iron
Awake 01:36
2.Harpies
07:35
3.Golden
Mean 05:59
4.Nokken
02:57
5.Lament
of the Deathworm 06:03
6.Gaea
05:27
Band
Members:
Spencer
Norman
Justin
Brown
Blaine
Burnham
Review:
Why
did I have to be late to the party in checking out Lamprey. The
Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal mob who have just released what appears to
be their final album with III. As Lamprey have sadly called it
a day. But what an album to release as your last album. As III
is a heavy slab of epic riffs and gigantic noises to match.
Opening
track – Iron Awake – is a 90 second blast of intense Sludge Rock
riffs played at a fast pace. Lamprey played with two bassists and
that is evident right here are the music is fucking loud!!! - You can
hear the heavy pounding bass lines being played all around you.
That's just the tip of the iceberg as the rest of the album becomes
even louder as time goes by.
Second
track – Harpies – is where you start to feel the pain and
intensity of Lamprey's music. If you dig the early heavier sounds of
CONAN and SLOMATICS then wait until you experience the heavy bass
dual attack of Lamprey with great drumming to match. The vocals drift
in and out at different times of the song. Though it's the heavy
down-tuned riffs that is the main attraction here. And Lamprey have
tons of great riffs to punish you with.
Third
track – Golden Mean – is perhaps the more doomier affair on the
album with traces of drone based noises and vocals appearing at the
start before Lamprey bring the pain with more down-tuned riffs to
slay you with. The album sounds superb from start to finish which
isn't surprising since Adam Pike mixed, engineered and mastered this
album. Golden Mean simply crushes everything around it as Lamprey
bring the thunder as the dual bass guitars unleash a torrent of doom
and gloom sludge metal riffs.
Fourth
track – Nokken – has shades of Scott Kelly's solo work especially
with the vocals and droned out noises which creates an unsettling
three minutes for the listener to lose themselves in. This shows
another side to Lamprey's music as it's haunting and even beautiful
to listen to.
Fifth
track - Lament of the Deathworm – is perhaps my fave song on the
album as it merges the sounds from Nokken with the heavier style of
droned out Sludge/Stoner Metal riffs from the earlier songs. It's a
slow-paced affair but wait until Lamprey bring the noise as hell
breaks loose. The vocals are superb as you can feel the pain coming
from lead vocalist Blaine.
And
now we come to the final song that Lamprey will ever release. - Gaea.
It's all come down to this final round of heavy pounding epic
doom/sludge/stoner metal down-tempo and low-tuned carnage for you to
survive from. Lamprey are taking no prisoners on this song. Just
listen and embrace the noise for one final time. Once it's finished,
press play and experience this heavy as hell amazing album over and
over again. It's what Lamprey truly deserve....
III is a brilliant album. No doubt. Check it out for yourself as it's available on BandCamp Buy Now.
Words
by Steve Howe
Links:
