Release Date: November 10th 2023. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Grave Watcher - Tracklisting
1.Becoming The Beast 05:26
2.Waiting For The Sun 05:05
3.Embrace The Flames 04:41
4.Grave Watcher 04:20
5.Black Veil 05:31
6.Demons 04:50
7.When The Darkness Comes 07:04
Members
Jake Lewis - Everything
Review
Doom/Stoner Metal outfit Burn Ritual returns after a three year absence with their new album Grave Watcher with this hugely talented One Man Band digging deeper into the Doom Metal vortex with heavy levels of FUZZ. The album has quite a vibrant and vintage quality which taps into the Black Sabbath way of life with eerie levels of Psychedelic Doom and a sludgy atmosphere that will appeal to fans of Electric Wizard, COUGH and Uncle Acid.
Jake Lewis the man behind Burn Ritual has a more gloomy and destructive creative vision on this album which allows this record to be Burn Ritual’s more DOOMED out release. There’s a thrilling Stoner Metal sound that appears to be more Progressive and eclectic at the same time which you can hear and feel within the opening tracks of the album Becoming The Beast and Waiting For The Sun. A classic down-tuned and amplifier approach where Jake adds Psychedelic sounds and fuzz rock grooves which sees Burn Ritual play multiple guitar solos and extended jams along the way.
There’s an sinister Occult Rock theme heard within the lyrics and how Jake delivers his vocals on the album. Perhaps a bit OTT in places but never boring with the classic Seventies Proto-Doom vibes appearing within the slower parts of the album. The instrumental tone can be quite seedy, aggressive and sinister but there’s a melodic tone throughout especially when Jake plays a slower style of music that drifts eerily into Post-Doom or Post-Sludge territory.
Grave Watcher impresses the most with the high amount of exciting riffs that’s played on the entire album. Jake doesn’t skimp in that department even when the music changes into a more progressive direction especially on the later stages of the album.
Other standout tracks include: Embrace The Flames, Grave Watcher, Demons and When The Darkness Comes. The record does become more consumed by the evil spirits of Doom Metal with a sublime Occult theme which allows Burn Ritual to adapt their creative virtues to a more mature setting and perhaps even into the realm of Horror based storytelling.
Grave Watcher is violently addictive with adventurous DIY Production values which only adds to the seedy effect that the record ultimately holds and provides to Jake’s dedicated fan-base.
Burn Ritual have once again delivered the goods with Grave Watcher which provides a groovy and riff-fuelled adventure that’s a pitch-perfect release with the Winter Solstice months currently upon us.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Jake Lewis for the promo.
Grave Watcher is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl.
Links
Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram
