Tomb of God

Finnish doomsters Fimir formed from the ashes of Church of Void after the latter split-up in 2018, with four of CoV's five members (excepting drummer Johannes Lahti who went on to form his own project Byron) joining the new band. I had championed Church of Void since their debut Winter is Coming ep back in 2012 so was fairly disappointed when hearing of their split. All seems to have turned out well though, as this debut album from Fimir seems to attest and I would venture that, even though it isn't a massive departure, it is even better than either of the original band's full-lengths.

Tomb of God consists of six tracks of impressive Scandinavian traditional doom metal, very much in the vein of Count Raven and Lord Vicar. Well actually there are technically only four tracks because the second half of the album consists of the three-part title track, although each part plays as a distinct track and work equally well in isolation. It is not an album that is out to push the envelope or even to try much new, but it is very well executed doom metal with some pretty memorable riffs and excellent lead work. I love the guitar tone, especially during the solos which are possibly the highlight of the album. The bass too has a terrific sound and is allowed to shine through on several occasions, most notably during the first part of Tomb of God, the gothic-inflected Obsidian Giant where it is featured as the lead instrument. Vocally Fimir obviously sound like Church of Void as vocal duties are still performed by Markus Pirkkalainen (aka Magus Corvus) but this time on several occasions he has double-tracked some harsher vocals alongside the clean. It's no death metal growl or blackened shriek, but still has a harshness to it that CoV didn't utilise and works quite well. The only real criticism is that the drums are very ordinary and don't really shine through, although as drummer H. Wizzard is the new guy in town, maybe he didn't feel confident enough to exert himself in the studio just yet and possibly that will change with time as he settles into the band.

All in all a very competent and enjoyable slab of traditional doom metal that I will be quite happy to return to often.

After the Finnish doom act Church Of Void disbanded, some of the members would break off and form Fimir. Tomb Of God is their first full-length, dropping earlier this year. Similar in style to the disbanded group, they stick to the traditional doom complex that feels very tight for the genre. Modern production over familiar riffing styles and small nuances make this a pretty pleasant listen.

Comprising of six songs on the longer side of things, Tomb Of God manages to fill them with solid build-up and gradual shift. It also avoids any and all “epic” doom tactics as well as steering clear from fuzzy, obnoxiously distorted stoner tones. As the record progresses, the groovier hooks lean more and more onto the heavier side. Density and threatening auras cloud the rhythm sections, causing the end of the record to reach peak heavines. “Mausoleum Craft - Tomb of God pt.3” has an intro that could heat up a whole room.

A lot of this is helped by the large amount of bass utilization. Naturally, this adds plenty of weight, showing significantly on “Obsidian Giant.” The amount of focus it has for this style is impressive. Vocally, things mostly stick to a cleaner baritone delivery, similar to Chris Latta of Lavaborne. Paired with that, they also lay on the occasional shriek (in a non-black metal way) which very much reminded me of Sacred Monster. So if nothing else, this gives it a bit of its own identity.

Anyone who likes their Sabbathy riffs to be void of unnecessary fuzz or over-the-top extras will probably find something to take away here. Though it isn’t anything groundbreaking, I appreciate how well the band does this style. The small unique characteristics make it worthwhile on its own.

Originally written for Sleeping Village