Date Released: November 25th 2022. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD
Godless Suns - S/T: Tracklisting
1.One Spark of Lilllith 07:23
2.Death of the Wise 04:22
3.Fury 06:31
4.Purgation 05:41
5.Bones 04:54
6.Godless Suns 08:29
Members
Dan Swann - Drums
Pete Humphries - Guitars
Sarah Humphries - Vocals, Bass
Review
UK Doom/Stoner Metallers Godless Suns self-titled debut album is a stirring mix of Progressive Metal, Stoner Metal, Blues Rock and Doom Metal. Full of heavy FUZZED out grooves which remind me of Black Sabbath, Pallbearer, early-era ALUNAH and High Fighter in places especially with the melodic vocals from Sarah Humphries but Godless Suns move into many other areas of Doom/Stoner Metal underground with this release.
The music has an experimental nature without being actually experimental which you can feel on the excellent opening track One Spark Of Lillith. The song has a gloomy style of Doom/Stoner Rock with it's cautiously slow Doom/Fuzz grooves with the WEEDIAN atmospherics merging into more Shoegaze territory with a Post-Rock flow to the actual song. Extended guitar jams with intricate drumming lead the way towards the end of the song.
Second song Death Of The Wise carries on the opening song's style of music but with a faster and Blues Rock approach. Soulful vocals from Sarah have genuine warmth even when set against the heavier Fuzz/Stoner Rock sounds the rest of the band play within the track. There's a jagged approach to this track with the excellent DIY production values allowing the band plenty of opportunities to impress with their style of Classic Hard Rock and Modern day Doom/Stoner grooves.
Third song Fury is the standout track for me. As the band brings a more Psychedelic and Spaced Out sound to the album which do take time to fully form and appear on the album. The song is the gloomiest and emotionally charged track on the album but there's still fun to be had with this song when the heavier riffs appear.
The second half of the album may not be as strong as the first half but Godless Suns still impress with their excellent creative choices with the many different styles of music they use on songs such as Purgation, Bones and Godless Suns. Strands of melodic Doom and Stoner Metal are played at their own pace with other elements of Psych Rock with Sarah's fantastic vocals shining through yet again.
Even with this album having a DIY feel to it all, this is still a superbly produced album that allows Godless Suns to finish the album in highly confident fashion. There's a superb Shoegaze element to Godless Suns that allows the band to play some of the most interesting and intense sounds on the album.
Give yourself a chance with this album and you will be mightily impressed like I was.This is a sublime release that should allow Godless Suns make themselves more known within the Doom/Stoner Metal underground scene.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
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