Release
date: January 17th
2020. Label: Self
Released.
Format: DD
Beyond
The Crimson Throne
- Tracklisting
1The
White Wolf 02:48
2.The
Black Gate 04:41
3.Heavy
is The Crown 05:56
4.The
Shadows 05:41
5.Arioch's
Bargain 05:09
6.Finding
The Limits 05:38
7.Stormbringer
04:59
Members
Joshua
Murphy - Vocals / Lead guitar
Chris
Emerson - Guitar
Ray
Bates - Drums
Brad
Bellamy - Bass
Review
Beyond
The Crimson Throne is the type of album that draws influence from the
last 40 years of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal but held together by a
modern Doom/Stoner Metal vibe. You can hear influences diverse as The
Sword, Mastodon, Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden on this album. Blessed
Black are passionate at what they do and they create a slightly
wicked Progressive style of music that drawn me in from the very
first song.
Opening
song – The White Wolf – lasts less than 3 minutes but it’s more
than enough time for the band to sink their claws into any devoted
listener of Doom/Stoner Metal with it’s wicked style of classic
Doom/Stoner grooves with a passionate psychedelic vibe allowing the
music to grow naturally. Shades of The Sword and Mastodon can be
heard on this song and it gives you a good indication for the rest of
the album to follow.
Second
song – The Black Gate – has a heavy NWOBHM feel to it but with a
modern rock sounding sensibility that sees the Mastodon vibe there
once again but the vocals from Joshua emit a gloomier presence with
the Doom based atmosphere being more central to Blessed Black overall
sound. The song is quite thrilling and the guitar riffs are plentiful
and action packed from the start.
Third
song – Heavy Is The Crown – pays homage to Iron Maiden and Thin
Lizzy with twinges of classic twin guitars opening the song with
twisted glee and relish. Though the song soon moves back into heavier
Doom/Stoner Metal territory but still allowing the band to keep their
highly energetic blend of Classic Hard Rock/Metal. The lyrics are
good and quite catchy in places with Joshua delivering another superb
vocal performance that ranks as one of the albums best songs.
Blessed
Black carry on their addictive and twisted style of Doom/Stoner Metal
with other standout songs such as The Shadows, Finding The Limits and
Stormbringer. Blessed Black stretch their creative wings on the final
two songs and provide some epic sounding guitar solos that the MIGHTY
GODS OF THE RIFFS would be impressed by.
The
only downside to this album it’s too damn short. I would have loved
another 2 or 3 songs to be included on this album. Though apart from
that minor criticism, Blessed Black do a lot of things right on this
album. This album is built on RIFFS and Beyond The Crimson Throne
delivers this and so much more. With fantastic production, this is a
genuinely exciting album that I can see the Doom/Stoner Metal
community going quite crazy for.
Excellent
and Highly Recommended.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks
to Curtis
at Dewar PR for
the promo. Beyond
The Crimson Throne is available to buy now.
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