Release
date: January 17th
2020. Label: Self
Released.
Format: CD/DD
Golgotha
- Tracklisting
1.
Sleeping Giant
2.
Golgotha
3.
Sentinel
4.
Vincere Vel Mori
5.
Dreadnought
6.
Paegan Dawn of Anubis
7.
The Archmage
Members
Gregg
McDowell - Vocals
Jake
Wallace - Guitar
Mikey
Scott - Guitar
Dale
Hughes - Bass, Fender Rhodes, Theremin
Brien
Gillen - Drums
Review
Northern
Ireland Sludge/Doom Rockers Elder Druid are back with their new album
Golgotha and like the title suggests the band have gone under a
Blackened Doom transformation since their acclaimed debut album
Carmina Satanae from 2017. Golgotha features a nastier style of
Occult based Doom/Sludge Metal and the album has a dark potent
outlook on life.
This
can take a few moments to fully get used to but the riffs are heavy
and plentiful from start to finish with the band playing the right
balance between heavy and light moments for a more experimental
approach to their music.
Opening
song – Sleeping Giant – is a daring blend of Doom/Sludge Metal
with a Blackened Metal style atmosphere that oozes menace from the
start. The vocals from Gregg are quite evil and I was surprised to
hear how aggressive and dark Gregg goes with his vocals. Sure they
were dark on the last album but not as sinister as this. So top marks
for the band bringing the “DOOM” atmosphere to the party with
this song. It perfectly sets the scene for the rest of the album to
follow.
Second
song – Golgotha – starts off casually with a few drum beats
before a heavy evil FUZZ based guitar joins the ranks. The song
carries on the depressive style of Doom/Sludge Metal as the band take
influence from some of the heaviest Doom Metal bands currently out
there such as CONAN in places. The music is down-tuned but with the
added aggressive Sludge Metal grooves allowing Elder Druid to perfect
their nightmarish vision.
Third
song – Sentinel – is an instrumental song where the band bring
Ambient and Psychedelic sounds to the album and it’s quite cool to
hear. Elder Druid play some fantastic progressive guitar solos on
this song and it made me want to hear more of this style of
instrumental music from the band.
Fourth
song- Vincere Vel Mori – is Elder Druid in full DOOM METAL mode
with some of the harshest lyrics contained on the album. The vocals
from Gregg are scary and aggressive yet again but it’s the music
that’s the main standout with precise bleak grooves creating a
gloomy and unforgiving environment. The song does change direction
from time to time but that’s a good thing for Elder Druid to try
different things with their music. This is easily one of the best
songs on the album.
Elder
Druid carry on the bleak journey with the final 4 songs. As the tone
becomes heavier and nastier in places with a few cool progressive
passages along the way. The standout songs from the 2nd
half has to be Dreadnought and Paegan Dawn Of Anubis.
Golgotha
is one lean, mean and aggressive album that will give you a few
nightmares along the way. Elder Druid should be proud of this album.
As this is a daring album that makes no apologies for it’s
uncompromising bleak vision. This is what at true Doom/Sludge Metal
album should do and Elder Druid have accomplished that feat.
Excellent
and Highly Recommended.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks
to Elder
Druid
for the promo. Golgotha
will
be available to buy on CD/DD from Jan 17th
2020.
Links:
