Release Date: 02nd April 2021. Record Label: Majestic Mountain Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Reaper Season
Review
Norwegian Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal collective Jointhugger made a mighty impression last year with their acclaimed debut album I Am No One. The release showed a band with a keen ear for aggression and melody in equal measure with influences ranging from the best known bands from the underground Doom/Stoner Metal scene such as SLEEP and YOB.
Jointhugger have returned with their new EP - Reaper Season - which consists of a singular 18 minute plus song that sees the band venture through many different elements of the Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal platform. The band have refined their aggression on this release and have taken a “YOB” based approach for this release with the song starting very slowly with lush psychedelic grooves dictating the action.
The band have a lot of ground to cover on this song and the mood turns into a more bombastic style of music with the atmosphere having a more modern sound and feel. The heavy drumming and guitars allow the vocals to slowly drift in and out with relevant ease. The Prog Rock/Metal tendencies of this release is quite different compared to Jointhugger’s debut album. This has a murkier style of Doom/Stoner Metal with an almost classical “Rock Opera” structure being heard on this release.
The song despite the impressive long running time is always constantly changing and on the move with many different parts to the song. Everything feels and sounds in the correct order with a soulful dynamic with flashes of classic Doom Rock/Metal to the more modern Stoner Metal flavours heard towards the later stages of the song.
Reaper Season has a more spaced out element that I didn’t initially expect but this allows Jointhugger to be more adventurous with the creative choices they made for this EP.
This EP is the first of two releases that Jointhugger have planned and going by the evidence on this EP alone then Jointhugger could be on the verge of bigger and greater things. Reaper Season is a wonderfully epic EP with Jointhugger releasing an even better release than last year’s debut album.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Sheltered Life PR for the promo. Reaper Season will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Majestic Mountain Records from April 02nd 2021.
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