Release Date: November 01st 2024. Record Label: Majestic Mountain Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
The Sonnifer - Track Listing:
1.The Somnifer
2.Draining the Labyrinth
3.Rapid Eye Movement 03:32
4.Eat the Day 03:34
5.Delta Waves
6.Recurring Nightmare
7.Regeneration
8.Image Rehearsal Reaction
9.False Awakening Continuum
10.Body and Soul 04:35
Members
Jordan Forster: Guitars
Mason Matheson: Vocals, Bass
Review
HIghly regarded Aussie Doom/Stoner Metal Duo Vessel return with their fourth album The Somnifer and it seems the band have studied all of the great bands who have graced us with their creative presence over the last fifty years of the Doom/Stoner scene. Vessel construct progressive cosmic landscapes with The Somnifer which is inspired by bands such as Acid King, Black Sabbath, SLEEP, KYUSS and fellow modern day riffsters such as King Buffalo, ELDER and All Them Witches. However, Vessel create music in their own psychedelic image where nothing is ever simple which you’ll experience multiple times with the band switching to different styles of music whenever they feel like it.
The first batch of tracks of The Somnifer, Draining The Labyrinth and Rapid Eye Movement lays down the groundwork with heavy instrumental passages that blends Space Rock, Psych, Doom and Stoner Rock with an intense melodic Sludge Rock backdrop solidifying Vessel as a completely different band compared to their previous albums. The vocals are sparse at first and only appear at first within the sublime third track Rapid Eye Movement. The song is quite abstract with Vessel keeping their cards quite close to their chest. MAMA DOOM lead vocalist D.Lolli makes the first of two appearances on the album with the first being Rapid Eye Movement. D’s vocals have a “less is more” approach with a deeply rich and emotional style which is one of the best parts of the record.
Fourth track Eat The Day has an aggressive Sludge Metal/Punk Rock sound with D.Lolli making their second appearance and this performance is way more aggressive and very much in your face which matches the music that Vessel deliver with quite a muscular FUZZED tone. The bass heavy approach allows Vessel to move into murky Psychedelic waters with Punk Rock credibility shining through.
The Somnifer returns to its Cosmic roots but be prepared for Vessel to bring a classic and throwback style of Punk, Hardcore and Crossover elements to their music. Vessel also operates with a world-weary and reflective sound with the album which comes across superbly well on tracks such as Delta Waves, Recurring Nightmare and Regeneration. The album becomes quite experimental and apocalyptic with the lyrics that Vessel has written for the second half of the album. It can be a bit outlandish at times but this works within the overall journey that Vessel have prepared here. You can see Vessel closely resemble Doom Metallers EAGLE TWIN especially on Recurring Nightmare with the punishing instrumental grooves and grizzled vocals from Mason.
The final batch of tracks of Image Rehearsal Reaction, False Awakening Continuum and the final track which is a stunning cover of The Sisters Of Mercy classic track Body and Soul. This part of the album is perhaps the wildest, heaviest and most inventive part of the album though the whole of The Somnifer is a complete trip powered through heavy Psychedelic Grooves, Ambient Themes and Distorted Spaced Out FUZZ of the highest order.
The Somnifer sees Vessel drawing upon a number of guest appearances throughout the album, including Neal Stein (El Supremo, ex-Egypt), Andy Shardlow (Josiah) and Ceridwen McCooey who all lend their first rate talents for a deeply subversive trip into the more surreal side of Doom/Stoner Metal.
Vessel have produced a truly original album with The Somnifer that dares to be different whilst paying homage and respect to the overall scene. This is an unmissable album which is being released by the always awesome and super reliable Majestic Mountain Records that only adds to the overall quality of the album.
This is another album making a late bid for grabbing those places on the inevitable Album Of The Year articles that will be appearing soon and it’s already grabbed a spot on mine. This is simply unmissable. End Of.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Viral Propaganda PR for the promo.
Vessel will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Majestic Mountain Recordings from Friday 01st November 2024.
Links
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