Ancient Doom Metal

Russian epic doom metal heathens Scald finally offer their second album, the debut dating back to 1997. Although there has been a split and EP in the interim, their career has been a quiet yet heavily admired one. This new opus is out now via High Roller Records.

Melancholy guitars soar into life with enormous drums punctuating their striking blows. Haunting vocals join the mix with a certain roughness filled with emotion, invoking a battle-torn spirit. The band has a majestic command of melody and yet their primitive heart of pummelling Heavy Metal is beating strong. The enchanting guitar leads and equally impactful riffing is superb. Everything feels marvellously well orchestrated and lively even with their slow, lumbering pace. Synths subtly add to their tapestry of sonic swordsmanship, enriching the soundscape further. Harkening back to times of Candlemass, Solstice and Pagan Altar with a truly epic take on doom metal played with passion and tradition as its core assets with unwaveringly tight musicianship to boot. The beginning of Scald’s new adventure will certainly have you strapped in for the long haul if you love old school doom metal or any epic, melodic Heavy Metal.

To return from the abysses of a hiatus that was caused by the death of a band member is never easy. To rekindle the music after the loss of a brother is no simple feat. Yet Scald majestically return after these years with Felipe evoking the bands strengths in an honourable way that shows they were not mistaken in choosing him for the role. Agyl’s spirit can live on in such great music. The rest of the classic lineup remains intact, impressively, continuing the band as if no time had passed. Indeed the music feels timeless and like a moment was never lost. Their chilling and unique sound ringing through the battlefields of mythology and wonder. A spellbinding delivery and atmosphere is certainly present, as we reach further into the past with this gem of obscure Russian metallic triumphs.

Unfortunately, the major drawback for me is the mixing of the vocals. The vocals themselves are killer, but the dryness sets them out a bit haphazardly. This doesn’t ruin the record, I still definitely enjoy it. But that one change could have launched it to far greater heights. Each track is a solid cut of archaic doominess, forging together in the form of a record to give us a far grander picture. There is a sense of melancholic bitterness shrouded in triumph throughout that is conveyed wonderfully. Pagan spirits of old tie to the crashing waves of musical might to spectrally infuse this record with something far older than the band itself. doom metal really needs to haunt me to keep my attention and Scald are one such band who make something more than uninspired slow Metal, they have that flare that Candlemass made a hallmark and essential tenet of the genre. Right until its climax, this record retains both animalistically percussive blows consistently landing alongside the flowing voices and melodies. Both intertwine harmoniously to see us through until the end of the journey.

A strong, pounding and haunting listen of very good doom metal. Scald may have been gone for some time, but their crushing return is certainly not to be ignored. I love it when an obscure older band returns with a superb new offering and this is one such case that feels like it has reanimated the name of the band rather than bury it. Hail "Ancient Doom Metal"!

Written for www.nattskog.wordpress.com