Curse of Conception

Drifting out of Arizona with a most poignant and resonating sophomore release is Spirit Adrift, a doom metal solo project now solidified by the participation of additional musicians from its live set, and I dare say, Curse of Conception, released at the beginning of October under 20 Buck Spin (a kick-ass record label borrowing its name from Pentagram's classic soiled dove ditty), is growing on me with every listen.

Although I was initially thrown off by Nate Garrett’s maniacal yodelling, soon took solace in the early tracks' fat, swarthy guitar riffs and bass lines compounded by spectacular drum formulas which often succeed languid instrumentation in the form of breezy, twilight evoking harmonies and hauntingly plucked guitar progressions.

Also, if I were to serve up a metaphor in regards to the curvaceous yet super engaging song constructs, imagine riding a slowly but surely escalating – and creaking - wooden roller coaster car towards the top of the rise only to inevitably plummet at full speed. Instead of hollering like a maniac, holding on ‘till your knuckles and face are white, your heartstrings are cosily pulled taut, as you can’t help but sing along to Garrett’s clearly resounding alt-rock vocals all the while revelling in your front row seat amidst such glorious sonic rampage.

This is how I feel when listening to “Starless Age (Enshrined)”, as the drums fiercely take flight after the second verse, while the guitars and bass excitedly raise the track to even higher pastures. In other words, the musicianship here is nothing short of phenomenal, while the wistful and swift successor, “Graveside Invocation”, gives impression am carried away on an ethereal and benign phantom wind.

In spite of generally ascribing to an astral bent and spiritual melody, comparisons to Pentagram are well warranted, notably on first half of “Spectral Saviour”, as Twisted Psychology pointed out. Some of the guitar solos trill furiously in a most debilitating and seizing, Victor Griffin-like manner. (The wind-down to “Starless Age (Enshrined)” particularly gets my golden goat!) Leads are certainly not lacking, ranging from evocatively mellifluous to downright scintillating. This is a great outlet for doom fans who long for lead choked dirges, as opposed to purely atmospheric stew n’ brews.

Although the short Persian instrumental "Wakien" is a nice touch, to my ears, closer “Onward, Inward” sounds a little milquetoast and bland – notice how it innocuously fades out at the end in rather anti-climatic fashion – yet, it’s water off a duck’s back considering overall accomplishment. As far as I can tell, Spirit Adrift’s Curse of Conception rates among some of the coolest doom metal around the hypothetically flattened globe.

Spirit Adrift started off as a one man project back in 2015, at the hands of Nate Garret. Since its first release, Chained To Oblivion, last year, some additional musicians joined the band from the live line-up. With this brand new composition, Spirit Adrift now bring us Curse Of Conception.

The doom metal scene has, unfortunately, remained fairly stagnant, with a lot of the same, boring, cookie-cutter releases coming out every year. Fortunately, a good amount of bands still try new things, pushing the boundaries of the genre. Most notably in recent years are Elder and Khemmis, both exploring a completely different take on the genre. In between these two bands lays Curse Of Conception, blending the more progressive, melodic approach of Elder, with the heavier, riff-focused sound of Khemmis. To top it off, Spirit Adrift add a touch of bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest in the form of beautiful guitar solos.

Ambitious as this may sound, Spirit Adrift pull it off really well. The riffs and vocals seem to draw most of their inspiration from Khemmis, but rather than making up most of the songs, they merely function as a solid foundation. The entire album is filled with long, intricate solos, which manage to suck you in and keep the album interesting. With the addition of some tasteful acoustic interludes, Curse Of Conception is an absolute joy to listen to.

There isn’t much I can criticize this record on, Spirit Adrift accomplish exactly what they wanted to accomplish and they do it really well. No song really stands out as the weakest and it’s just a damn good overall record. The only thing that could see some improvements are the vocals. They don’t do anything special and are generally just bland, but then again, they don’t interfere with the rest of the instrumentation and still complement Spirit Adrift’s style quite well.

Curse Of Conception is one of the rare cases where an idea sounds good on paper and sounds even beter when realized. It has been on constant rotation for me since its release on October the 6th and I am expecting to come back to this album time and time again.

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Just a little over a year since their 2016 debut and mere months after a collaborative cover split with Khemmis, Arizona’s Spirit Adrift has returned with their second full-length album. A lot has changed in that time though, as the once one-man project has added additional musicians to its ranks following some touring experience. In addition, Curse of Conception ends up packing in more songs while somehow being less than a minute shorter in total length.

These factors would make it seem like Spirit Adrift has become a completely new band, and they certainly explore wider sonic territory this time around. In a way similar to their comrades in Khemmis or even mid-era The Gates of Slumber, the band opts for a fusion of doom and classic metal. The vocals take on a more lamenting tone in place of the debut’s overt Warrel Dane impression, perhaps inspired by the inclusion of Goya’s guitarist/vocalist Jeff Owens, the tone is one of charging determination, and the guitars have an intricate feel likely inspired by bands such as Iron Maiden and Manilla Road.

Despite indications of a more accessible format, the songwriting isn’t dumbed down by any means. Most of the songs still operate at a lumbering pace, though differentiations can be found in the chugging riffs on the title track and “Onward, Inward,” the almost ballad-like “To Fly with Broken Wings,” and the building speed on “Starless Age (Enshrined)” and “Graveside Invocation.” I also think “Wakien” is a strong instrumental, and find “Spectral Savior” to be particularly memorable, if only because the first half’s rhythm sounds like a direct lift from Pentagram’s “Change of Heart.” Talk about reviewing your choices, amirite?

While Spirit Adrift still has some time before they can really wrestle the reins of the epic heavy/doom movement away from Khemmis and Pallbearer, it is nice to see their progression on Curse of Conception. Expanding the lineup was certainly a smart idea, as was evolving their style to take on more influences, but the band needs a bit more experience under their belts before they will give us a true classic. In the meantime, this is still an enjoyable listen for anybody who likes their heavy metal slow and meaty.

Highlights:
“To Fly with Broken Wings”
“Wakien”
“Onward, Inward”

Originally published at http://indymetalvault.com