Holocaust
Of Ecstasy & Freedom – Tracklisting
1.The
Poison Test 04:01
2.Goats
On The Left 07:13
3.Her
Twins of Evil 06:02
4.Nocturnal
Zeal (Winter Orgy) 03:34
5.Holocaust
of Ecstasy & Freedom 05:59
6.Psychomania
08:20
7.La
Papesse 08:05
Band
Members:
Mikko
Kääriäinen (bass, vocals)
Juho
Kilpelä (guitar)
Joni
Takkunen (drums)
Review:
Cardinals
Folly return for another full on doom metal explosion with their new
album Holocaust Of Ecstasy & Freedom and this time they have
reached further peaks of riff laden goodness as the album is even
more jam packed full of them than we have come to expect. The band
are known primarily for their mixture doomy passages with the best
that heavy metal offers and this album is no exception.
The
sound of an ominous liquid pouring into a chalice opens the albums
first track The Poison Test and from the moment the first doom riff
kicks in, you know you are in for a good time. As with the previous
Cardinals Folly's albums, the influence of classic N.W.O.B.H.M looms
heavy not only in terms of the lyrical content of the song but this
time it appears clear that in terms of a lot of the riffs especially
on tracks like Goats On The Left and Twins Of Evil, that bands like
Angel Witch have been a big influence on the band and this album but
you also can't ever forget the doom factor which is obviously at the
forefront of the sound of Holocaust Of Ecstasy And Freedom and on the
title track and Nocturnal Zeal (Winter Orgy) there is a
quintessential doom feel about them, check out the riffs on both of
these songs although adding to the versatility of the bands sound.
There
are elements of different types of metal coursing through parts of
the tracks as well (the riffs and solos in the latter part of the
title track are pure N.W.B.H.O.M for example) and you can throw in a
few timeless death grunts in there for good measure!
The
album ends with two epic doomy tracks and concludes proceedings in
the best way possible. Some truly momentous riffs, focussed solos and
some unhinged singing are the order of the day on penultimate track
Psychomania, which is as the songs title suggests is quite a trip and
is at turns utterly haunting and brilliantly deranged.
While
the closing track La Papesse is a creeping behemoth of a song with a
huge, lurching riff that takes proceedings over with deathlike
authority and ends the album on an anthemic note with the songs final
minutes coming across like prime Sabbath, it's as good as that.
It
must be said though that while the riffs are the order of of the day
on Holocaust Of Ecstasy & Freedom and are of course, both
memorable and crushingly heavy, you cannot over look the importance
of the rest of the elements of the Cardinals Folly's sound with each
part as important as the previous. and as a result combine to make a
perfect melding of doom and metal mastery. This is what makes
Holocaust Of Ecstasy & Freedom a must listen.
Words
by Gavin Brown
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