Release
date: October
11th
2019. Label: Sludgelord
Records. Format: DD/Vinyl
Vore
– Tracklisting
1.WWCD
03:45
2.Lead
Magnet 05:38
3.Centurion
05:13
4.Suture
05:36
5.Sherwood
Is Connector 05:43
6.Columbia
(Featuring Mike Scheidt) 07:46
7.The
Gift 06:31
Members
Nathan
James Coyle
Adam
Beckley
Bruce
Goodenough
Luke
Fewtrell
Simon
Blewitt
Review
Vore
is the new album from UK Blackened Doom/Sludge Metallers – Opium
Lord. Coming 4 years after their acclaimed album The Calendrical
Cycle: Eye of Earth which was released on Candlelight Records.
Vore
is a very different sound to their last album as the band are way
more aggressive with a pitch-black and bleak outlook on life. The
Blackened Doom vibe is what drives Opium Lord’s music to breaking
point with touches of Progressive Metal and Post-Metal all uniting to
create a bleak musical odyssey which takes no prisoners.
Everything
about Vore is based on dark ideas with the music pissed off from
start to finish. The opening two songs – WWCD and Lead Magnet –
pave the way for Opium Lord to play heavy waves of Doom/Sludge Metal
grooves allowing the band to move further into a more nightmarish
world that can be quite intense at times. The pulsating guitars flirt
between Post-Black Metal and Doom Metal with relevant ease and the
vocals can be downright nasty and vicious at times.
The
lyrics are full of pain, anger and sorrow which is what you would
expect from an album such as this. All of the songs have an
intriguing story to tell with a beginning, middle and end that leave
you wanting more on each of the individual songs. The music does move
at a blistering pace that you have to admire the technical ability
and talent that Opium Lord possess on this album.
Songs
such as Centurion, Suture, and Sherwood Is Connector carries on with
the aggressive message that Opium Lord have written for these songs.
Just when you feel that Opium Lord have ran out of ideas and are
about to repeat themselves they pull a HUGE RIFF out of the bag that
changes the album for the better especially on Sherwood Is Connector.
The
standout song has to be Columbia as the guys have Doom Metal Legend –
Mike Scheidt (YOB) – appearing on this track and it’s a marriage
made in HEAVEN or HELL depending on your personal perspective. The
song starts rather quietly with eerie based ambient sounds building
upto a spooky rhythm. The song actually feels influenced by YOB in
places with the slow build up of Psychedelic sounds and Mike’s
earthly vocals leading the way before the band bring the heavy
thunderous and demonic sounds to the forefront of the song.
The
final song – The Gift – sees one final round of bleak progressive
Doom/Sludge Metal riffs with a harsher Psychedelic vibe being added
for good measure.
Opium
Lord have delivered a monstrous and fucked up album with Vore that
may see the band turn some heads within not only the UK Doom/Sludge
Metal scene but also on the International Stage as well. If Roadburn
Festival is looking for more top-notch bands to appear at their
festival then I recommend to give these guys a chance. As they’re
seriously that good.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks
to Opium Lord and Dewar PR for the promo. Vore is available to buy
now on DD/Vinyl via Sludgelord Records.
Links:
