Release
date: September 15th
2017. Label: DHU Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Mark
III – Tracklisting
1.Abremalin Squares
05:50
2.We Remain 07:04
3.Game of Tears
04:09
4.Woman 04:07
5.I'm So Down 07:41
6.The Northern Wall
06:20
7.The Sorceress
06:15
Members
Sabine Hamad -
Vocals
Dale Harrison - Bass
Shane Linfoot -
Guitars
Matt Shriffer -
Drums
Review
Aussie Doom Metal crew
Rituals Of The Oak after a 5 year hiatus with their new album –
Mark III. The album which is being released on Vinyl through DHU
Records is quite a different sounding Doom Metal band. As most of the
album is built around the highly emotional vocals of lead singer –
Sabine, with the music being played at a delicate and deliberate slow
pace.
Opening track –
Abremalin Squares – does take time to fully get going as the
traditional doom sounds are played very slow with elements of
psychedelic/blues rock vibes allowing the band to experiment with
their music. Rituals Of The Oak start playing faster and heavier
progressive sounds near the end of the song. It's quite a
captivating affair with the music slowly becoming the main focus as
Sabine's vocals drift into the background.
Second track – We
Remain – opens with a 70s Blues/Hard Rock style passage with the
band soon start playing sinister doom and gloom riffs. The mood of
the album changes to one of traditional doom metal with Sabine's
vocals adding a more atmospheric folk environment. Rituals Of The Oak
don't play by the usual rules of Doom Metal, as the album drifts from
one different sound to the next. It maybe too adventurous for some
but at least the band are willing to try something different to
standout from the Doom Meal crowd.
Third track – Game Of
Tears – sees Ritual Of The Oak opt for a funk driven sound. WHAT
THE FUNK. Funk on a Doom Metal album. Well that was a real surprise
for myself to hear. It's a groovy 70s classic sounding track that in
reality should feel out of place on the album. Though, somehow the
band make this work as you can hear traces of psychedelic doom rock
on the later stages of the song.
Fourth track – Woman
– carries on the 70s Funk/Disco/Blues Rock assault on the senses.
This is way too trippy and surreal for a Doom Metal album. Though I
can't deny that I'm bloody enjoying the hell out of this. The vocals
from Sabine and the hard rocking riffs create a real doomy atmosphere
when the heavy riffs finally appear.
The final 3 songs on
the album – I'm So Down, The Northern Wall and The Sorceress –
carry on the experimental Funk/Blues/Psych/Doom sound that Rituals Of
The Oak play so expertly well. The overall mood and feel of the album
is filled with so much musical creativity that you wouldn't expect to
hear on a Doom Metal album.
Rituals Of The Oak are
in a league of their own. As I cannot compare them to anyone else
within the realm of Doom Metal. Mark III is an exquisite, bold, brave
and hugely entertaining monster of an album, that will have you
listening for days on end.
Superb. End Of.
Words
by Steve Howe
