Release Date: October 13th 2023. Record Label: Meuse Music Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Umbra - Tracklisting
Umbra
Members
Adam Pirmohamed: Vocals, piano & synthesizer
Bruce Hamilton: Guitar
Andy Salt: Bass
David Himbury: Drums
Review:
Psychedelic Doom Metallers Gévaudan return with their new album Umbra and it’s a singular track running for forty three minutes in length. Blending almost every corner of the Doom Metal Spectrum such as Heavy, Traditional, Psych, Epic and Blackened Doom with Gévaudan offering a more cautious sound compared to their debut album. Umbra operates at a cool sounding mid-to-slow pace with the band putting in a menacing and muscular performance within the different levels of Doom Metal that are played here.
The vocals are mostly from the True Doom or Traditional Doom scene but Adam shows a wealth of different styles to match the mood or hidden dark depths of Umbra. The instrumental sounds are quite varied with Gévaudan playing both classic heavy metal and modern day Progressive grooves that have elements of Thrash within them.
Gévaudan do feel inspired by bands such as Candlemass, Trouble, Gates Of Slumber, YOB and even Pallbearer on this release. The music is constantly evolving at its own pace and when Gévaudan adapt and change their music to a more Post-Metal or Progressive Metal style then the whole tone and message of the album ultimately changes especially around the thirteen minutes mark where the grooves are stripped back and the band offer a more classic Doom style with Operatic flourishes.
There’s some wonderful Psychedelic guitars slowly working their way through for this part of the album that becomes more forceful as time goes by. Once the song reaches almost the halfway mark then Gévaudan return to a more aggressive and Traditionally dominant style of Doom Metal sound that leads over into sublime moments of intense guitar shredding that works amazingly well with the wonderfully epic lead vocals and the fearless 1980’s Heavy Metal attitude that abounds in major parts of the album.
The later stages of Umbra sees Gévaudan with a more free-flowing Post-Rock attitude especially with Adam’s excellent piano skills holding everything together. The last part of the album features almost every kind of guitar riff worship a METALHEAD could possibly want with dangerous levels of screeching guitars with enough power to cause actual dizzy spells.
Umbra is a dazzling and unique audio experience with Gévaudan creating a true work of art that holds all the creative aces within the Doom Metal scene. The album contains first rate production values that also shines a light to the wonderful story that Gévaudan has written for this album.
Not many bands have covered almost every different style of the Doom Metal realm but Gévaudan have come pretty close with Umbra. This album is going to blow people’s minds. It’s simply an exquisite album from start to finish.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Gévaudan for the promo.
Umbra will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Meuse Music Records from October 13th 2023.
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