Rampton

Of all of the Sunn 0))) projects, this is perhaps my favorite.

The primary distinction between this album and other 0))) projects is the heavy emphasis on drumming. Justin Greaves' drum work is excellent, combining unstructured soloing (reminiscent of Orthodox (Esp), or the other way around) and slow, heavy pounding (reminiscent of Burning Witch, via Jamie Sykes). The drums are recorded exceptionally well, providing depth and punch that punctuates the typical O))) drones.

The vocal work, provided by Lee Dorian of Cathedral and Napalm Death, is particularly well done. The persistent rhythmic delivery and intense emotional content blends perfectly into the overall atmosphere provided by the other three members.

The drones are as good as ever, providing a crushing foundation for the excellent drum work and vocals. It is relatively simplistic at times, but this is used to great effect, combining with the drumming and the vocal work, as well as the occasional use of sweeping synths and noise, to explode your mind into realms it could not otherwise reach. The last track, "The Smiler," uses the same riff as heard on the track "Mocking Solemnity" on the Sunn O))) album "Flight of the Behemoth," and the unique atmosphere of this project provides a good interpretation of that riff.

Overall, this is some of the heaviest and hardest-hitting O))) work that I've heard thus far. To my mind, it seems more like a continuation of the precedent set by Burning Witch, with the excellent use of the drums. I would love to hear more O))) projects based this strongly around the drums; the strong punctuation and driving force they provide add a very forceful and confident characteristic to drone. If you like this album, I would suggest you listen to Orthodox (Esp) and Burning Witch for more drone and doom along these lines.

I like drone metal. I'm going to say that first before I review this album. Bands like Sunn O))), Earth, Khanate, Asva, etc. are amazing. Bands like Teeth of the Lion Rule the Divine, are not so great.

This album, although only consisting of three tracks, seems like you got caught in and endless abyss. Every song just takes forever, whether I hear a good riff or not, after about 16 repetitions, I just want it to stop. I like the bands the members come from (Sunn O))), Burning Witch, Cathedral) but this band, is blah. It's so boring it's not even slightly amusing.

He Who Accepts All That Is Offered (Feel Bad Hit Of The Winter) is possibly the most boring drone song I have ever heard. It is half an hour of pure, unfiltered monotony. It just puts you to sleep, whether it's the intended effect or not, it's not the good, dreamy kind of sleep. It's sleep out of pure desperation. It's sleep out of pure boredom. That's the effect of this song. I don't want to hear three riffs repeated over, over, over, over, over, over, over, over, and over again.

The next two songs are basically the first song, only about six minutes shorter. I hear absolutely no difference between The Smiler, New Pants and Shirt, and He Who Accepts All That Is Offered. None, nada, zero.

This album, well it's quite mediocre. I've heard better drone, and if you want to start with the unholy, depressing, genre that is drone metal, don't think twice about this album. Pick out a Sunn O))) album instead. It's way more evil and more enjoyable.

Ah, doom metallers. They're a rare breed among musicians in the current state of affairs in that they do not and cannot aspire to great commercial success. Doom's fanbase is limited to such an extent that sometimes major-label success can only be obtained through promoting your own record label. Such is the case here with Lee Dorrian's latest offering of crippling extremity. Teeth of Lions Rule The Divine (reference to an Earth song) could be termed a Doom Metal supergroup of sorts, boasting key members of scene giants Cathedral, SunnO))) and Iron Monkey. A background such as this is sure to raise the pulse of any doom fan, and this eviscerating debut manages to slay doubts of any 'sum of the parts' naysayers. Blasting in the style of volcanic eruption, brutal in an anvil-to-the-head sense, the three tracks of this monstrosity brace the notion of 'heavy' with cathartic vitriol. Lengthy track titles reflect the running time of the compositions, which avoid the 'boring' pitfall by virtue of the great sonic variety present. Shades of the members' former bands are present in spades: the cavernous undulating SunnO))) drone evokes the same atmosphere of dread, while Lee Dorrian's versatile vocals reflect Cathedral's earliest output. This killer combination, when fused with Greaves' off-kilter drumming, makes for a very unique behemoth. The album shifts and collides in the manner of plate tectonics, while always staying focused on the creed that slow and heavy wins the race. A masterpiece.

Four popular names (Stephen O'Malley, Lee Dorrian, Greg Anderson and Justin Greaves) joined forces in 2002 to create Rampton, a haunting drone doom album clocking in at just under an hour. The first of three tracks is a cute little anti-drug bit. At thirty minutes long, this track makes up over half of the album. It starts off with some feedback accompanied by several minutes of quality drumming. Greaves manages to crank out a nice chunk of catchy rhythms, making this intro one of the highlights of the album. After a while, the main riff begins its gradual fade into the mix. This is as slow and as simple as riffs get, showing absolutely zero musical ability or creativity, but it somehow manages to work. The vocals are fitting, matching the sludgy and sloppy atmosphere of the music. The song makes me feel as if I've just taken a generous portion of every single drug known to man, and my body is dealing with the consequences. Half an hour later, track two comes shambling along. It's a Killdozer cover called "New Pants and Shirt". There's a bass intro for about a minute, and then everything else jumps in and smacks you in the face. Slow, simple, and heavy as anything, it's an overall solid track.

"The Smiler" is last, and it certainly isn't in any hurry to wrap things up. As far as style is concerned, it is played in a similar fashion to the first two tracks: slow, simple, and heavy. That's the problem with drone doom - it tends to get stale at times. This definitely isn't an album that you'd listen to when you're in the mood for some headbanging, or even just foot tapping for that matter, but it might be nice to throw on occasionally - perhaps when you have some time to waste, and you're just in the mood to relax. It's definitely worth a look if you're a fan of any of the musicians involved, or if you're a fan of doom.