Release
date: September 29th 2017. Label: Heavy Psych Sounds. Format:
CD/DD/Vinyl
Mountain
Legacy – Tracklisting
Malevolent Path
Endless Cave
Hiss of The Witch
Emperor of Shame
Wolfcurse
Forest of the Damned
Mountain Legacy
Members
Matteo - Guitars
Maurice - Drums
Gianmaria - Bass
Claudio - Synths
Claudio - Synths
Review
Italian
doom-outfit Deadsmoke have made a lot of noise in their brief two
years of existence. Their sophomore outing ‘Mountain Legacy’
provides an insight in how maddening doom can truly make you feel.
While not being overly up-front about Mountain Legacy's nature. This
is a journey to be made alone. Deadsmoke have succeeded in making
what feels like a trek in a madness-inducing cavern after having
climbed a mountain. Exhausted and weary, you have to proceed despite
feeling drained of energy and life.
While
I have to say I have issues with the various samples and noises, it
does push their agenda and ends up heightening the experience of the
album. A powerful trick, bordering on annoying. After several spins I
can’t decide whether to like it or not. But I will say that it’s
effective in setting the mood Deadsmoke are after.
What
sets Deadsmoke apart from other bands in the genre is that instead of
being upfront with their Lovecraftian-influences is that like the
authors work himself, they are subtle and lead you in deeper into
their world before unveiling their true nature. To truly appreciate
this album you do need to sit with headphones and just appreciate the
nuances. Because there’s so much more here than just riffs and
grooves. And believe me there’s riffs and grooves to be found in
Mountain Legacy.
Kicking
off in the second track, the first one is more of an intro, Endless
Cave fires on all cylinders leaving little to no room for hesitation.
With a guitar noodling dangerously close in Funeralopolis-territory
they quickly break the mold and never look back. Thankfully this is
the only comparison I will have to make to Electric Wizard as
Deadsmoke goes above in beyond in their horror imagery and
production.
With
a powerful singer that is completely crushing the vocal lines,
Mountain Legacy has an apparent metal feel to it. With one foot in
Sleep worship and the other in Entombed-territory, it’s a total
win. The total sonic mayhem that is the track Hiss of the Witch is
for me the high point of the album. With eerie, dread-inducing
samples and an earth-shattering bass, the drive is unstoppable.
Regarding
production, this is how you want your doom record to sound. Dirty
almost everywhere except for the pristine drums. Giving an airy feel
to an otherwise heavy mix is a must for prolonged listening. As
always the case with doom bands the tempo tends to be on the slow
side. So it’s a plus to have a luxurious sounding production to
keep the listener entertained. Deadsmoke knows this as they trap you
in their psychedelic fuzz.
This
is as filthy as they come folks. There’s no reason you shouldn’t
listen to Mountain Legacy. And there’s no reason not to be
hypnotized by Deadsmoke and their madness-inducing doom.
Words by Simon
Ohlsson
Thanks
to Claire at Purple Sage PR for the promo. Mountain Legacy will be
available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds from September
29th
2017.
Links:
