Album Review: Crawl Below – Its Ministers On Earth (Lawnmowerjetpack Records)

Crawl Below’s fourth album comes in the form of blackened death doom, New England style. After the one-man-band’s foray into doomgaze on 2021’s 9 Mile Square, and previous offerings featuring punked-out black metal and Lovecraftian pub songs, Its Ministers On Earth goes back to Crawl Below’s creepy, witchy metallic New England roots – and serves as a summoning to aquatic nightmare gods.

Its Ministers on Earth will be out January 14th, 2022 on digital and limited-edition CD via Lawnmowerjetpack Records.

Creating both the imagery of ancient evils and dark, unfathomable depths of darkness, and the sound of weight-bearing doom, Crawl Below set the bar for doom in 2022 at a high level. Its Ministers on Earth is horrifically beautiful, penetratingly harsh and unyieldingly shadowy. An album created by one-man’s twisted genius and let loose upon the world to dominate.

From the doom-infused eeriness of The Daemon Damned Season, where the blackened elements of Crawl Below’s sound is notable. To the outright chaotic noise of Red Fell the Vapours, where a hotter tempo really makes this more of a black metal track. To the ritualistic thump of Summoning Rite. The first handful of tracks showcase the detail and depth in Crawl Below’s sound and the focus on a dark and worrying soundscape.

A blend of meaty guitars and clean passages add some unexpected head-banging groove to Yet Foul from Their Eyes. The epic vocalisation and chunky depths of this track make it one of the best on the album. Though Will Rot the Base Chains and its drawn out doominess isn’t exactly unlovable either. This is a track that emerges slowly from the gloom to drive all, who witness its slow crawl, to madness.

The penultimate track, O Great Priest is a short slice of eerie atmosphere. The perfect precursor to the gargantuan finale of And Deep in The Worm. Where black metal meets doom to create an intense cacophony of noise. There’s nothing inharmonious about this closer though. A strong finish to an album that oozes infectious darkness.

Crawl Below – Its Ministers on Earth Full Track Listing:

1. The Daemon Damned Season
2. Red Fell the Vapours
3. Summoning Rite
4. Yet Foul from Their Eyes
5. Will Rot the Base Chains
6. O Great Priest
7. And Deep in The Worm

Links

Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Lawnmowerjetpack Records