Album Review: Smoulder – Times Of Obscene Evil And Wild Daring (Cruz Del Sur Music)

Buoyed by the success of their The Sword Woman demo comes Smoulder, a Canadian epic doom/power metal quintet who combines obscure metal savvy with brilliant storytelling on their first full-length, Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring.

Cruz Del Sur Music will release the forthcoming full-length debut album from Canadian firebrands Smoulder. Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring, the quintet escapes into realms of fantasy, glory and heroism, all under the banner of epic doom and power metal! The album will be released April 19th 2019.

An interesting combination; doom and power metal. Not the best of friends but in regards to Smoulder they make it work by focusing on a deeper and richer style of epic doom. That should be immediately clear to anyone who hears the opener, Ilian of Garathorm. Although we’d be lying if we didn’t say the guitars sometimes take on the power metal form.

The Sword Woman really lays the doom on thickly…almost chokingly while Bastard Steel is unashamed in how much it leans towards a speed metal sound. Galloping riffs, powerful vocals and the undercurrent of heaviness that puts it more in line with thrash then anything else.

You can’t say we don’t get variety with Smoulder. Their imagination is running wild as we get the energetic Voyage of the Sunchaser with its super-strong guitar solo. It’s followed by the penultimate track, Shadowy Sisterhood which beckons with sinister intent thanks to its doomy rhythm and sultry vocals.

Finally we get the doomiest sounding track of the album with Black God’s Kiss. The Sabbath influences spread throughout enhancing the riffs which drip with darkness. All while the vocals deliver a sermon like performance. Are you a believer? You will be.

Smoulder – Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring Full Track Listing:

1. Ilian of Garathorm
2. The Sword Woman
3. Bastard Steel
4. Voyage of the Sunchaser
5. Shadowy Sisterhood
6. Black God’s Kiss

The album can be ordered via Bandcamp while more information can be found over on Facebook and Instagram.