Monday 9 November 2020

DÖ - Black Hole Mass (EP Review)


Release date: November 13th 2019. Label: Döömernaut Records. Format: DD

Black Hole Mass – Tracklisting

Gravity Sacrifice
Plasma Psalm
Radiation Blessing

Review

Black Hole Mass is the new EP from Finnish Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal Riffsters DÖ and has been dedicated to this year’s winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics who revealed “the darkest secrets of the universe”. Well, with that dedication in mind, what have the band brought to the party since their acclaimed 2019 album Astral Death Cult which became quite a favourite record of mine last year with it’s Pitch Black Doom Outlook on the Sludge/Stoner Metal world.

The EP features the heaviest and aggressive material the band have released to date. Sure, it has the familiar sounds and themes from Astral Death Cult. However, this EP goes even further into the Blackened Doom Metal universe with Psychedelic Sludge/Stoner Metal riffs there for everyone to be consumed and buried under.

Opening song - Gravity Sacrifice - is a pitch black exercise in Sonic Riffery with the band exploring heavy progressive themes and the music allows the vocals to the perfect balance of Harsh Growls and Aggressive Clean Vocals. The music flirts between Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal with the harsh Post-Metal attitude of Neurosis being a major influence but DÖ still holding their own grip and style throughout the 7 minute running time of the song. The song has a wonderfully bleak Spaced Out Atmosphere where the lush and heavy Psychedelic noises come to life.

Second song - Plasma Psalm - continues with the epic sounding Blackened Doom Metal attitude and feels like it’s a song that would have easily fit on their last album. The song is fast-paced and I can detect some High On Fire energy on this song especially when DÖ speed things up and the multi-layered vocals allow the song to be a more gloomier experience.

The final song - Radiation Blessing - is a 10 minute offering where ghostly and psychedelic noises reign supreme for the first few moments before DÖ starts adding layers of heavy guitars with a volatile Sliudge/Stoner Metal atmosphere holding everything together. The distorted parts are quite cinematic in places but DÖ hold their nerve by bringing a threatening style of Sludge/Stoner Metal to hold listeners attention with.

Black Hole Mass is another outstanding release from DÖ and allows this band to be one of best bands coming from the Finnish Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metals scene. If this is the new style of music that DÖ will play on future releases then I’m fully on board and can’t wait to see what the guys will be releasing next.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Warren at Plug Music Agency for the promo. Black Hole Mass will be available to buy Digitally from November 13th 2020.

Links

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