Musings: DoctoR DooM - A Shadow Called Danger

DoctoR DooM returns after seven years of being away! The French quartet will release their much-anticipated follow-up to 2015’s This Seed We Have Sown on vinyl through Black Farm Records on November 18^th and on CD and digital via Ripple Music on January 20^th, 2023. The new LP is titled A Shadow Called Danger and it’s every bit as groovy and retro as their first outing.

For the uninitiated, DoctoR DooM isn’t a doom metal band; they’re more of a ‘70s hard rock, prog & blues with a touch of proto-metal kind of band. It makes for a unique blend of music. The LP opens with “Come Back to Yourself” which at first made me feel like it would be a perfect fit as a song on the Kill Bill soundtracks. DoctoR DooM’s guitar chugging is catchy and reminiscent of Ann and Nancy Wilson’s Heart at times. “What They Are Trying to Sell” was the first single that came out at the end of 2021 and I’ve heard it so many times that it’s already a classic song for me. I might be biased due to my familiarity with it, but it’s my favourite track of the album, with its proto-doom elements and throbbing bassline. “Ride On” is a terrific easy-going tune followed by “Connected by the Worst” which has riffs-a-plenty and is a delicious slice of classic rock with lengthy instrumental sections. “Hollow” is a cool rocker that’s deeply rooted in ‘70s rock. “The Rich and the Poor” is a beauty of a song with splendid guitar playing and a solid rhythm section to give us great rock ‘n’ roll. “In This Town” is the second single, some proto and some prog with some help from an organ to deliver a majestic 7-plus minute track that is mostly instrumental and a highlight of the record. We then move on to a beautiful, slower-paced instrumental titled “Sarabande” to take us out.

No such thing as the sophomore slump for DoctoR DooM, folks. This is an album that goes down easy like a cold beer on a hot summer day. Overall, A Shadow Called Danger is a laid-back album, very much in the vein of its gorgeous cover art: calm with a hint of danger always lurking on the horizon. Fans of Witchcraft and Graveyard will particularly appreciate this record.

DoctoR DooM on Bandcamp: https://doctordoom.bandcamp.com/

DoctoR DooM on Vinyl via Black Farm Records: https://blackfarmrecords.bigcartel.com/product/doctor-doom-a-shadow-called-danger

DoctoR DooM on CD and Digital via Ripple Music: https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/a-shadow-called-danger