Release Date: July 1st 2022. Record Label: MDD Records. Format: CD/DD
Reach For The Scars - Tracklisting
1.I'm The Dog 03:15
2.Sing For The Devil? 02:33
3.The Submission Bell 04:39
4.Built of Misery 03:20
5.This Damn War 03:13
6.Mourning This Life 03:38
7.Hate Your Life 02:39
8.Demon of Regret 04:17
9.Kashmir 08:51
Members
Johnny Kelly
Dan Lorenzo
Review
Patriarchs In Black is a Doom/Stoner Metal group featuring the talents of Johnny Kelly (Type O Negative/Danzig) and Dan Lorenzo (HADES/Cassius King/Vessel Of Light) and these guys freely admit this album is inspired by the legendary Black Sabbath but still giving themselves enough creative room to play their own heavy Doomed Out Stoner based grooves.
The album does have a classic Heavy Metal feel which you can hear on the stunning opening song I’m The Dog. Frantic and heavy loud sounds from the good old days of 70's and 80's Heavy Metal with a twinge of Doom based Stoner Metal. The vocals and lyrics are rooted 80's Classic Hard Rock but never feels like a throwback style song or album. With wicked production values, there is a seedy rebelliousness to this song which does hark back to the days of Black Sabbath.
Second song Sing To The Devil is a Bluesy Heavy Metal number with Patriarchs In Black playing a more Southern Rock/Boogie Rock inspired number. Add a gloomy rock and roll sound to this song and the band’s cool sounding vocals have a fresh perspective in places. The instrumental work isn’t as strong as the opening song but Patriarchs Black make that up with Streetwise and Punk based attitude on the song.
Third song The Submission Bell is where the band go full on DOOM METAL with a creepy Occult feel with a sinister Stoner Metal edge. The guys start playing some mighty fine guitar solos and riffs on this song. The vocals are straight from the good old days of 70's Doom Metal and the grooves have a SAINT VITUS feel and quality to them. The song is a winning mixture of Blues Rock and Classic Hard Rock for certain stages of the song but it’s mainly a top-notch gloomy based Doom/Stoner Metal offering to the GODS OF HEAVY METAL.
Patriarchs In Black have ten of their friends sang or played bass on this release including Karl Agell (COC Blind/Lie Heavy), Dewey Bragg (Kill Devil Hill) and Jimmy Gnecco (Ours) which gives this album perhaps a “schizophrenic” feel with the vocals. However, this works as the songs have a distinctive feel and sound to each other.
For an album that’s described as heavily inspired by Black Sabbath, it’s good to see Patriarchs In Black bringing other genres and influences into the mix especially on songs such as Built Of Misery, This Damn War, Mourning This Life and Demon Of Regret.
The band end the album with Led Zepp classic and it doesn’t stray too far from the original. This is simply a good old fashioned cover that the band plays to the best of their abilities. The vocals are sublime and end this album on a glorious high.
The production values are superb for the most part. There’s a few rough moments along the way but allows Patriarchs In Black to have a more PUNK based sound that gives their overall sound a more threatening presence.
Reach For The Scars is a first rate album that will appeal to many factions of the Underground Scene. So if you dig Classic Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Doom Metal and Stoner Metal then Patriarchs In Black have all those areas covered and then some….
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to MDD Records for the promo.
Reach For The Scars is available to buy now on CD/DD via MDD Records.
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