Release date: September 24th 2020. Label: Burning World Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Somnus Throne – S/T – Tracklisting
1.Caliphate Obeisance 00:46
2.Sadomancer 10:16
3.Shadow Heathen 10:20
4.Receptor Antagonist 10:20
5.Aetheronaut//Permadose 14:29
Members
Evan - Guitar/Vox
Haley - Bass
Luke - Drums
Review
Somnus Throne are a band that specializes in the same sort of music that SLEEP, Electric Wizard, Monolord and Black Sabbath are well known for. However, these guys have a more seedier and outlook on all things Psychedelic Doom and Stoner Metal with the band having devilish fun with the usual things and tropes of the Doom/Stoner Metal scene.
Opening song – Caliphate Obeisance – is a rather cool intro with a voice-over welcoming new listeners with a delicious assortment of goodies before the band start playing their own addictive blend of Fuzzed Out and Trippy Psychedelic sounds.
Second song – Sadomancer – is where the real Somnus Throne appear with a lo-fi and almost Garage Rock sound that oozes 70s Vintage Doomed Out Rock with a modern Psychedelic Stoner Metal outlook but the band still encompass that 70s Outlaw spirit. The heavy FUZZED OUT Guitars and the eerie vocals have echoes of SLEEP and Black Sabbath leading the way but it still sounds superbly original in parts. The song lasts for over 10 minutes and the band make every second count by playing a wide range of heavy progressive grooves with a slight nightmarish quality to them.
Third song – Shadow Heathen – is another 10 minute plus song. I should say that all of the songs on the album apart from the opening track all run past the 10 minute mark. Somnus Throne play even more gloomy and wicked riffs on this song with their love of Amplifier Worship shining through from start to finish. Monolord fans will love this song as it has similarities to their last album and this song also proves that Somnus Throne have some great ideas of their own at how to create a properly effective Doom/Stoner Metal song. This is my favourite song on the album with the swirling Psychedelic grooves and fantastic out there vocals make this a damn good reason why these guys could be your favourite new discovery of 2020.
The final two songs of Receptor Antagonist and Aetheronaut//Permadose carries on the surreal and Psychedelic Doomed Out Gloomy Rock to even more surreal levels of excitement. The band feel more confident on the later stages of the album compared to the first half with some brilliantly played and epic progressive Stoner Metal sounds that allow me to feel that these guys have a long rewarding career ahead of them when the whole world settles down back to normal.
The signs of greatness are already being shown on this album and you don’t see many bands debut albums being released on Burning World Records. The fine folks who also run the legendary Roadburn Festival. So if it’s good enough for those guys then it should be more than enough reason for you to check this amazing debut album now.
I haven’t been excited by a debut full length album such as this one for a very long time and I’m quite excited to hear what the guys have in store for us for their next release. This is an album of the year contender. So you know what to do….
Words by Steve Howe
The album is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Burning World Records now.
Links:
Facebook | BandCamp
