SAINT KARLOFF – All Heed The Black God

SAINT KARLOFF - All Heed The Black God
  • 7.5/10
    SAINT KARLOFF - All Heed The Black God - 7.5/10
7.5/10

Summary

Twin Earth Records
Release date: July 27, 2018

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8/10 (1 vote)

While it’s a Doom Metal cliché to open with a track of ominous sounds of wind and thunder, is all forgiven if you add harsh crow caws? From the inauspicious start of Saint Karloff’s All Heed The Black God, listeners may either brace for a disappointing Black Sabbath derivative or salivate in expectation of tasting a fresh batch of gruel from the Doom Metal cauldron. The answer falls outside of these expectations.

After the storm passes and the crows take wing, doomy guitar and bass riffs propel “Ghost Smoker” at a lurch until the band spins into high gear extending into a free-range bridge allowing both guitar and bass to roam. It’s nearly a song within a song. The vocalist delivers dark lyrics with echo and fuzz similar to Dave Brock of Hawkwind. The song titles of “Space Junkie” and the instrumental “Ganymedes” reinforce the Hawkwind similarities. “Ganymedes” is a bit of acoustic train wreck which is a respite from the infectious high tempo groove of “Space Junkie”. The plodding heaviness of “Dark Sun” is another song steeped in tangential grooves. While the central riff of “Radioactive Tomb” doesn’t have the hook power of earlier songs, the imaginative bridge and percussion make it a worthy listen. “When The Earth Cracks Open” is the only formulaic song. The last song, “Spellburn”, is a bit of slow burn. It lacks focus and takes too long to reach a satisfying crescendo to close the album.

What would a hybrid of Lemmy era Hawkwind and 70s Black Sabbath sound like? A lot like Saint Karloff. All Heed The Black God is highly recommended for fans who like their 70s Heavy Rock soaked in Doom Metal.

TUNE INTO METALEXPRESSRADIO.COM at NOON & MIDNIGHT (EST) / 6:00 & 18:00 (CET) TO HEAR THE BEST TRACKS FROM THIS UPCOMING RELEASE!!!

TRACKLIST (Highlights: 1, 2, 4, 5)

  1. Ghost Smoker
  2. Space Junkie
  3. Ganymedes
  4. Dark Sun
  5. Radioactive Tomb
  6. When The Earth Cracks Open
  7. Spellburn

LINEUP

Mads Melvold: Guitar / Vocals
Ole Sletner: Bass
Adam Suleiman: Drums

Author

  • Zac Halter

    Zac was a reviewer here at Metal Express Radio, hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. His interest in heavy music began in the 70s with his father’s Johnny Cash albums. After cousins introduced him to Steppenwolf, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, KISS, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, Johnny Cash didn’t stand a chance. The 80s were spent in full pursuit of everything Metal: searching for new music at record stores, listening to albums, studying the covers and sleeves, and attending concerts. In the 90s, he preferred Death Metal over Grunge and hosted the Death Metal Juggernaut on WUPX in Marquette, Michigan. It was advertised as the only prime time Death Metal radio show in the country.

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