Album Review: Godthrymm – Reflections (Profound Lore)

Perhaps it’s the bleak and foreboding weather, the never ending cynical and soul crushing political landscape, or the rich history and romanticism of our small island, that sees the UK as a breeding ground for incredible doom metal. Step forward Godthrymm who arrive with riffs as gargantuan as the pedigree behind their band members, bringing forth their debut LP Reflections, which is released on February 14th 2020 via Profound Lore.

Formed in 2017 by vocalist/guitarist Hamish Glencross (ex-My Dying Bride/Vallenfyre/Solstice), Godthrymm sees the respected UK metal luminary return to his doom metal roots, creating the music he was known to help forge with Solstice (on the legendary “New Dark Age” album) and especially with the heralded My Dying Bride from the 2000 – 2014 time period. Further adding to the Godthrymm pedigree is ex-My Dying Bride/Anathema drummer Shaun Taylor-Steels who, after some slight lineup refining (following the band’s A Grand Reclamation debut EP), became the core of Godthrymm. With Glencross the two would end up recording the colossal Godthrymm debut album Reflections (the duo would add bassist Bob Crolla following the recording of Reflections) making Godthrymm a true power trio of doom.

We’re huge fans of Godthrymm here, we rated their debut EP very highly (read our review here), caught them live at Bloodstock where they also impressed and have previously chatted with the band about their plans.

So it is with much eagerness that we delve into their debut album, Reflections and what an album it is. Beginning with Monsters Lurk Herein, a soft and echoing melody sets things at ease before it ripens into booming rhythm. The desolation of Godthrymm’s doom, one with a thick and meaty guitar sound, is truly realised.

Among the Exalted ups the ante, really unleashing the beast inside the band. Both the riffs and vocals have so much more snarl to them. It’s a warning that at any stage and with very little reason, a bite could come. A remarkable showing from a band seemingly incapable of not delivering grand doom.

It just keeps on getting better too as The Sea As My Grave reverberates menacingly, the softer rhythm hiding tomes heavy enough to sink to the bottom of the ocean. Whereas We Are the Dead does little to hide just what it is, twisted and gnarled hands grasping hold and squeezing the life out. Brief hope-spots led by delightful guitar work only make the re-tightening all the more panic-inducing.

Utterly mesmerising, at the halfway point Godthrymm have outdone themselves and it’s not even close to being over. The Light of You and the re-worked title track of the previous EP, The Grand Reclamation arriving next with a mixture of melancholic spectacles and coarse heaviness. As epic as doom can possibly get and that’s saying something.

In case it hasn’t become clear, this is a triumph of an album. To bear witness to what Godthrymm have accomplished here is such a pleasure. It’s almost preposterous just how incredible this album is. The icing on this doomy cake being the richness of the percussion on Cursed Are the Many and the down-right chilling melancholy of Chasmic Sorrows.

Godthrymm – Reflections Full Track Listing:

1. Monsters Lurk Herein
2. Among The Exalted
3. The Sea As My Grave
4. We Are The Dead
5. The Light Of You
6. The Grand Reclamation
7. Cursed Are The Many
8. Chasmic Sorrows

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