SAINT KARLOFF – All Heed The Black God

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.

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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