Wednesday 10 April 2019

Everest Queen - Dead Eden (Album Review)


Release date: April 18th 2019. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD

Dead Eden – Tracklisting

1.Into The Bleeding Hollows
2.Blood That Binds The Iliad
3.Crooked Husk
4.Neptune's Gates 06:05
5.Vessel of The Flesh
6.That Which Only Fire Can Cleanse
7.Grave Dweller
8.Dead Eden

Members

Adam C Taylor - Lead Vocals, Guitars
Jimmy Long - Bass, Backing Vocals
Brad Cook - Drums, Clean Vocals

Review

Dead Eden is the debut album from UK Progressive Sludge Metallers – Everest Queen-. The band play a dark and melodic style of Doom/Sludge Metal with a haunting Psychedelic edge. I’ve seen these guys compared to Baroness and Mastodon most recently. Truth be told they have the earlier and much missed heavier sounds of both bands but that’s where the comparisons end. As Everest Queen add strands Psych Metal and Post-Metal to their music.

The album is always constantly engaging and changing musical styles for the majority of the songs held on the album.

Opening song – Into The Bleeding Hollows – is a mellow Post-Rock/Post-Metal song that starts the album slowly and quite beautifully in places. A hint of aggressive and melodic Sludge/Doom Metal riffs suddenly appear and this is the sound the band will build upon for the rest of the album.

Second song – Blood That Binds The Iliad – is the first true picture on what to expect on Dead Eden. As the band focus on playing a bleak Sludge/Doom Metal sound with elements of Psych Metal and Progressive Metal giving the song a haunting and almost contemporary feel. The vocals are harsh and very direct allowing Everest Queen to almost venture into the more extreme side of heavy metal. So expect a few moments of sheer brutality coming out of nowhere on other parts of the song before settling into a quieter and confident rhythm.

Third song – Crooked Husk – is a thunderous style of Doom/Sludge Metal that sees Everest Queen start to embrace the more Psychedelic part of their music and it makes for a superb ride especially when the complex and progressive riffs appear. This is one of the standout songs on the album.

Everest Queen continue playing their own distinctive and original style of Progressive Sludge Metal on songs such as Neptune’s Gate, Vessel Of The Fresh and Dead Eden. Neptune’s Gate and Dead Eden are the other standout songs on the album where Everest Queen impress the most. The style and delivery of music changes with almost every song held on the album and proves that Everest Queen are a highly talented group of musicians. All of their songs have a clear narrative and never become bogged down by the many different styles of music the band have included on the album.

Overall, Dead Eden is an exciting album and proves why Everest Queen have the potential to make a real name for themselves within the Doom/Sludge Metal scene in the near future.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Frenchie PR for the promo. Dead Eden will be available to buy on CD/DD from April 18th 2019.

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