Release Date: 27th January 2023. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD
One Last Look Upon The Sky: Tracklisting
A Storm Of Time & Space Part 1
When The Axe Falls
Dear Mrs. Budd
Song 4
Put To The Question
The High Capital
A Storm Of Time & Space Part 2
Hourglass
Bury Me Before Noon
Members
Sarah Wappler - Bass/Keyboards
Otto Kinzel - Guitar/Vocals
Tyler MacPherson - Drums
Review
Doom/Stoner Metallers Dust Prophet are taking a different creative route with their music on their debut album One Last Look Upon The Sky. Sure, they're inspired by the normal big-hitters of Doom/Stoner Metal such as KYUSS, Black Sabbath, CLUTCH and Electric Witch but you have to throw in bands such as TOOL, A Perfect Circle and even System Of A Down into the mix. With Dust Prophet playing a more experimental and Gothic style of music that brings an edgy creative attitude to the band.
Bleak and Progressive "Out There" Desert Rock/Psych Rock elements moving into a darker style of Doom/Stoner Metal with the bands lyrical content inspired by Biblical passages, classic epic poem Paradise Lost and a wealth of different Occult/Gothic Writers that allow this album to become more of an "outcast'' feel when first approaching the album. However, Dust Prophet have one "ace" up their sleeve to endear themselves to the Doom/Stoner Metal underground community and that's the fantastic riff, grooves and weird sounds that accompanies the dark creative content on the album. The music is "KILLER" and has a "SUPER FRESH'' appeal that you feel within the first few stunning tracks of the album with A Storm Of Time & Space Part 1, When The Axe Falls and Dear Mrs Budd.
All tracks showcasing a band with a unique and vivid imagination with that Progressive Doom Metal sound merging with the confinements of WEEDIAN METAL with the religious and occult lyrical imagery blending a darker Psychedelic Background you begin to realize. Imagine if KYUSS smoked that really fucked up bag of weed and had a HOLY PREMONITION about the end of the world. Well, Dust Prophet prove that vision for me on tracks such as When The Axe Falls and Dear Mrs Budd.
The music does become more Alternative with hazy progressive and distant grooves allowing the vocals being slightly inspired by System Of A Down and TOOL. This may sound too experimental for some but I implore you to stay for the whole musical journey. As Dust Prophet is only getting started on these tracks.
Tracks such as Song 4, The High Capital, Hourglass and Bury Me Before Noon sees Dust Prophet bring more emphasis on melodic sounds that move into Post-Doom, Post-Rock or Post-Whatever gloomy creative splendour. The mood remains highly volatile with Dust Prophet opting for blunt force tactics when the heavy guitars appear and intense drumming becoming a more demonic presence before the album is out. Though, the album does become more calmer when the 70s Prog Rock inspired Instrumental moments appear on the later sections of the album.
Otto Kinzel puts in a spellbinding vocal performance here by blending the showmanship of Maynard James Keenan and Serj Tankian real life wisdom whilst essentially doing his own thing.
There is a lot to digest with One Last Look Upon The Sky and it's going to take listeners more than a few spins to understand all of the bleak themes and creative ideas of the album. The music is always addictive, brilliantly heavy and superbly engaging to entice folks back for more musical adventures with Dust Prophet.
Dust Prophet are a uniquely different band from the Doom/Stoner Metal Underground scene and that makes them such an exciting band to fully listen to on this album. The album benefits from a solid DIY based approach with the record having quite a solitary and distorted feel. Helped along by superb production values.
One Last Look Upon The Sky is a thought provoking and superbly entertaining album that offers a different style of Doom/Stoner Metal to really get excited about.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to C Squared Music for the promo.
One Last Look Upon The Sky will be available to buy on CD/DD from January 27th 2023.
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