Ahab - The Divinity of the Oceans
I promised a review of the new Ahab album, and here it is.
Funeral Doom isn't an easy genre for most metal fans. It's slow dirges take time and patience to appreciate, but the pay off is like no other for fans of Doom Metal. Ahab have been releasing quality FD (Funeral Doom) for a few years and they seem to get better with every album. The Divinity of the Oceans is truly epic and shows the band at the very top of their game.
There are a few reasons why this album stands above the majority of FD bands. First, Ahab are masters of atmosphere, which is due in part to the production of the album. The mix on TDotO is crafted to make everything sound big and grandiose. The guitars seem to sweep in and out from a distance while the guttural howling vocals are buried just enough to sound desperate and menacing.
Second, is the way they slow down Death Metal technique to a grinding pace, and then switch to beautiful Opethian solos that are equally grounded in classic metal and classical music. The songs here are epic odes to the sea, which isn't anything new for Ahab, but they seem much more confident and open to experimentation on TDotO. This album is gorgeous from start to finish.
If you like painfully slow doom or are a fan of bands like Opeth, Samothrace, Urna, and Mournful Congregation, then you should love this. Hands down the best doom album (in any of the genre's sub categories) this year.
xoxo
Beardo
Funeral Doom isn't an easy genre for most metal fans. It's slow dirges take time and patience to appreciate, but the pay off is like no other for fans of Doom Metal. Ahab have been releasing quality FD (Funeral Doom) for a few years and they seem to get better with every album. The Divinity of the Oceans is truly epic and shows the band at the very top of their game.
There are a few reasons why this album stands above the majority of FD bands. First, Ahab are masters of atmosphere, which is due in part to the production of the album. The mix on TDotO is crafted to make everything sound big and grandiose. The guitars seem to sweep in and out from a distance while the guttural howling vocals are buried just enough to sound desperate and menacing.
Second, is the way they slow down Death Metal technique to a grinding pace, and then switch to beautiful Opethian solos that are equally grounded in classic metal and classical music. The songs here are epic odes to the sea, which isn't anything new for Ahab, but they seem much more confident and open to experimentation on TDotO. This album is gorgeous from start to finish.
If you like painfully slow doom or are a fan of bands like Opeth, Samothrace, Urna, and Mournful Congregation, then you should love this. Hands down the best doom album (in any of the genre's sub categories) this year.
xoxo
Beardo
Ahab stand out in funeral doom because unlike most FD bands, they are pretty dynamic. It's easy for FD bands to fall into a quiet/loud formula. Ahab fills in the pieces missing in between. And I agree, a lot of that is influenced by death metal.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree.
ReplyDelete