REVEREND BIZARRE – So Long Suckers

Sometimes this is the best way to say goodbye as the curtain falls in front of a totally satisfied audience. This is exactly the situation with the Finnish ultra-Doom band Reverend Bizarre; after their last live performance in December 2006, they announced that they would cease to exist after the release of the next album. The band members did not and probably never will explain the exact reasons that led them to this decision. On the other hand, this is totally respected because if an artist feels that there is no more to offer then this is the best way to reach an end.

Reverend Bizarre was formed in 1995 and visited fans nightmares with two EPs and three full length albums. Their music belongs to the Classic Doom Metal genre that was forged through the early Black Sabbath days when heaviness was synonymous to slow tempos and down-tuned guitars. The songs found in every Reverend Bizarre album were characterized by their long time duration, and this is also the case with So Long Suckers. The album impressively clocks almost 130 minutes, comprising 7 tracks in two CDs.

The opening song “They Used Dark Forces / Teutonic Witch” lasts 30 minutes and is the ultimate Doom Metal journey. The bass guitar comes with a dominating sound that creates a solid rhythm section under the support of slow tempo drum work. The down-tuned guitars (possibly a whole step down) sadistically play the tormenting riffs that overwhelm the listener. Even though this song lasts that long, you’ll lose track of time as you travel towards the foundations of Old-School Doom Metal. The raw almost 70’s sound production enhances this vintage feeling, while Albert Witchfinder’s vocals feature influences from Cathedral, Saint Vitus, or even prime Candlemass. The second song brings some really depressive atmosphere, especially along the vocal lines (but this is what the term Doom Metal means) and builds some tension that finds an outlet through the galloping rhythm that has a “Children Of The Grave” attitude.

The second CD continues in the same pattern and is the perfect tutorial for every band that has the intentions to follow the dark road of prime and crude Doom Metal. Die-hards of this forgotten music genre have already bought this album and read these lines with genuine satisfaction. For other Metalheads who are unaware of this sound, the latest and last Reverend Bizarre album is a helluva tour guide!