Sinister Realm - S/T

Sinister Realm started as a project band by ex-Pale Divine bass player John Gaffney and also Darin McClosky also from Pale Divine but with the addition of Alex Kristof on vocals and guitar duo John Kanter and Keith Patrick, they have now become a full working band. They have already released a great demo but now have been signed up by Shadow Kingdom Records who are fast becoming one of the best labels around at the moment. The standard of bands on the label is stunning.Musically the band walks the fine line between old school Doom Metal and Traditional Heavy Metal with plenty of majestic epic-ness thrown in for good measure. Kicking the album off with “(The Oracle) Into the Depths of Hell” is just perfect with great melody and some great guitar work. Like most of the songs on here, they are composed to build and build till the fitting epic conclusion. Guitar sound is soaring throughout the album along with the low-end bass sound that is real punishing. The vocals are also strong and powerful with lyrics that are menacing. The solo work is also majestic but also played with a sense of class and precision, this album is full of finely balanced songs that don't go overboard in any one department.“Machine God” is a great example of how a fairly simple riff idea can turn into a masterpiece, the melodies within the track are instantly memorable. “March of The Damned” is another Doom Metal classic, lumbering once again into epic Doom greatness. “Message From Beyond” has some vocal work along with a acoustic section right before some wicked guitar solo work weaves its way into the song. There is times when classic Candlemass meets Deep Purple comes to mind, i don't if anyone else will hear this but there is a certain finesse to the playing on here that is very 70's guitar god inspired. “ Mongol Horde” is another strong track and once again epic in terms of feel and how the song is executed and you cant go wrong with “The Circle is Broken” that closes the album in a similar but inspiring Doom Metal fashion. This is one of the strongest debut releases of the year and one that should make the band a instant hit for Doom Metal fans but also lovers of Traditional Metal who want something with a bit more depth than the usual Metal fare. The playing is solid but the strong point is the songwriting which is has a timeless quality to it, after just one listen i already knew that this is a album i will listen to over and over.Even the weakest tunes on here are still good while the best tracks are breathtaking quality Doom meets Classic Metal. 9/10

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