For a band that produces slow, hellish, and potent doom metal,
Demon Lung is an incredibly fitting moniker to go by. They formed in 2011 from Las Vegas, Nevada, and they released their debut EP "Pareidolia" in
2012. Afterwards, they were signed to Candlelight Records, which was known for taking in famed acts such as
Opeth,
Abigail Williams, and
Emperor. They then would release their first full-length album in 2013, called "The
Hundredth Name." Offering eight tracks, this album warrants itself for gaining just as many points on the scale.
To start off, the musicianship is very good, alongside the sound production. The singing is raw and brooding, being very appropriate to the doom-laden music. They sound dreaded, but in a good manner. The guitars play some sludgy but rather intense riffs throughout the course of the record, giving off some very memorably destructive tunes. On top of that, the drums also fare well. For the majority of the album, they are slowly paced, yet they sound very resonant, rendering the drums as a sturdy instrumental tank. In addition, this sound is thanks to the production, performed by Billy Anderson, who has done work with bands such as
The Melvins and
Sleep. The mixing gives the music somewhat of a buzzed and thick edge to it, thus making it sound quite volcanic.
After a glance at the gorgeously unsettling album artwork, one can easily tell that they shouldn't expect anything exactly pleasant to come out of the record. Surely enough, that is the case, because "The
Hundredth Name" showcases pure, brooding doom metal that is overall solidly executed. Even though the formula is nothing particularly special in terms of the genre, that doesn't stop it from being well-written and well-performed. The overall sound is slow but very ominous, like any good doom record. It balances between sluggish brutality and heavy atmosphere, leading to a well-rounded album. The largest highlight here would be "Hallowed
Ground," because it best demonstrates the murky levels that this band takes on. From the engaging song structure to the deeply dark singing to the bleak riffs to the chilling organs in the background, it truly knows how to stand from the rest of the tracklist. The doom metal showcased in this album really stands its ground well.
"The
Hundredth Name" proves to not only be a sign of grand potential for this band, but also as a very solid metal release. While it's not perfect, such as not totally standing out of the doom crowd, along with the introduction of album opener "Binding of the Witch" being too dragged out, there is more than enough to overshadow these flaws. The instrumentation is on the stellar side, the production and mixing is quite powerful, and the doom metal itself is well-crafted.
Doom metal fans are recommended to this record, and serves as a great welcome for any newcomers of the genre. Judging from this release, things are really looking up for
Demon Lung's future.
Originally posted on: http://metaljerky.blogspot.com/
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