Another double shot of quick reviews for you today. The first, Devil Electric’s Godless, released ten days ago; the second, Eye of Doom’s Curse of the Pharaoh, saw the light of day about fourteen months ago.
I first came across Devil Electric in the summer of 2016. Their debut EP, The Gods Below, had just been released and it completely blew my mind. To me, this Australian quartet fronted by Pierina O’Brien felt like the true heirs of Black Sabbath for the 21st century with a woman handling the duties on lead vocals. They followed it up with a self-titled record a year later and it solidified my initial opinion of them. Fast forward four years later and they give us Godless, a masterpiece of an album.
From the get-go, Devil Electric’s signature sound is omnipresent on “I Am” and you know you’re in for a great time. “All My Friends Move Like the Night” was released over a year ago as a single and what a great choice it was; one of the band’s all-time best songs. Catchy as all hell with riffs galore. “Mindset” is another catchy tune with an infectious chorus, and probably the most accessible song of the record. “Your Guess Is as Good as Mine” is a definite highlight; with lengthy instrumental portions, it’s a very immersive track. “Take the Edge Off” is the very definition of short and sweet and a runner-up for my favorite song on this record. Highly addictive; feel free to hit the repeat button! Song number 6 is the title track; a tight, pulse-pounding, guitar-driven doomy rocker. “I Will Be forgotten” slows the pace down a bit before turning into a powerful song with a dominant bassline and Sabbath vibes that are prevalent throughout. It comes to an end with what I’m feeling is my favorite cut right now, “The Cave”, a track with an ominous atmosphere which builds to a fiery crescendo. Talk about ending on a high note!
The four-year gap between Devil Electric’s last album and Godless was well worth the wait. They deliver a masterclass of what doom metal/heavy psych should sound like. O’Brien’s pipes are in rare form and the trio of musicians backing her up are a force to be reckoned with. It’s an essential album to own if doom, heavy psych or metal is your thing. This is a record you’ll find yourself spinning quite often for a very long time. Without a doubt, one of the year’s ten best albums!
Devil Electric’s Bandcamp page: https://devilelectric.bandcamp.com
I’m a proud Canadian and I’m always happy when I come across Canadian artists who make music that resonates with me. My latest discovery comes in the form of Vancouver trio Eye of Doom who released their stunning debut EP, Curse of the Pharaoh, in September of 2020. I usually don’t review albums that have been released this far back but they truly deserve your attention—and I love doing what I can to help shine the spotlight on Canuck bands as much as possible.
Curse of the Pharaoh is a concept EP of sorts and represents doom in every sense of the word. Comprised of three songs, the epic title track kicks things off in doomy glory. A fuzzy, thick, and heavy soundscape, with the perfect type of vocals to transport us to a different time and place. “The Waning” is a short instrumental with spoken words that bridges the gap on to the third and final track, “Scold’s Bridle”, a jewel of a doom song with plenty of softer moments including a beauty of a lengthy guitar solo to take us out. I hear the influence of Sleep with elements of prog and space rock.
If Curse of the Pharaoh is a taste of things to come, then Eye of Doom are a band we should definitely keep an eye (and mostly our ears) on. Themes of mysticism, astronomy, and the occult populate the sonic landscape of this terrific EP. I’m very eager to hear their next release and to witness what musical territory they’ll explore on a full-length album. I give Curse of the Pharaoh my highest possible recommendation.
Eye of Doom’s Bandcamp page: https://eyeofdoom.bandcamp.com
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