Release Date: September 27th 2024. Record Label: Self Released / Cassettes by Fiadh Records. Formats: Cassette/DD
Aegis Of The Hollowed King - Track Listing:
1. Aegis (11:05)
2. Bearer of the Curse (13:29)
3. The Last Giant (5:14)
4. Fume (10:56)
Members
Richard Murphy - Everything
Review
Aegis Of The Hollowed King is the second full length album from Instrumental Doom Metal collective Sif which has a more expansive and cinematic story compared to their 2020 debut album Death On Foreign Shores. The PR blurb described the album as “TITANIC METAL” and that’s a very apt description though Sif does throw some in SATANIC sounds and visions within the album. The end result is quite reminiscent of bands such as BONGRIPPER, CONAN and THOU.
SIf plays a subtle array of different musical styles where the music can be quite fast paced and very direct with moments from other areas of Heavy Metal such as Prog, Thrash, Sludge, Groove, Psych and Stoner. The album is very much a product of the Doom Metal Underground Scene as Richard Murphy (creative mastermind behind Sif) feels like he’s studied the best aspects of the Instrumental Rock/Metal scene and spliced elements of Blackened Doom, Crust and Drone for that extra level of spicy heaviness.
The end result is wonderfully down-tuned and has a muscular and destructive quality to it especially on the outstanding two opening tracks of Aegis and Bearer Of The Curse. Richard explores his love for video games and fantasy with the album being inspired by the legendary video game Dark Souls. That alone allows Sif to explore the darker and progressive themes of Instrumental Doom Metal with haunting Ambient, Drone and Psychedelic passages having a certain Video Game Soundtrack delivery appearing. Though, Richard is wise not to let that aspect fully take over with the album primarily being an Instrumental Doom Metal album.
With an ever changing musical landscape that becomes more dominant by Thrash, Groove and even sublime classic guitar shredding which adds a murky NOLA/Southern Metal style which I didn’t expect at all. The atmosphere can be quite delicate and vicious at the same time on perhaps on Bearer Of The Curse and The Last Giant being the standout tracks and prime examples of this throughout the whole album.
I’m not the biggest follower of Lost Souls but I know that it has a huge, loyal and dedicated following across the globe and perhaps a certain small crowd of the underground scene will appreciate this album more than some. However, it’s to Richard’s credit that he’s shown more than enough creative versatility to release an album that has the power to speak to a huge section of the Instrumental Rock/Metal audience with a spellbinding array of different sounds that becomes harder, weirder and heavier along the way to it’s natural conclusion.
Aegis Of The Hollowed King is a gloriously heavy and superbly delivered cinematic adventure that leaves you wanting to hear more of this EPIC dark tale that SIf has delivered here.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Good Boy PR for the promo.
Aegis Of The Hollowed King is available to buy now on Cassette/Digital Download
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