Album Review: Soothsayer – Echoes Of The Earth (Transcending Obscurity Records)

Irish doom/sludge band Soothsayer bring us Echoes of the Earth, their brand-new album out on April 9th 201 via Transcending Obscurity Records.

Atmosphere is such a major part of this album and it is used to craft a compelling listen. The focus on chanting, something given more oomph by some of the guests featured, is eerie and uncomfortable, but addictive to hear. It’s what welcomes us to Echoes of the Earth on the troubling Fringe.

It’s a track that puts you on edge, building in volume very slowly but never reaching the expected apex. That is to come as it flows seamlessly into Outer Fringe where a slow and melodic start gives way to an outburst of soiled doom. The instant dopamine hit that comes from such a flare-up is the shit metal fans just love.

Incredibly heavy, the focus on atmosphere makes it even more ethereal to hear and it’s an instant Soothsayer classic.

They’re just getting started though as War of the Doves brings epic in a way that few modern doom bands can fully grasp. Inimitable fury and power, darkly twisted and horribly maimed, it’s a track that beggars belief.

Shorter and more pointed, Cities of Smoke drawling heaviness leans into the bleakest of bleak sounds so far. The guitar medley being the only bright spot in a pretty depressing effort.

Which brings us to the behemoths that are Six of Nothing and True North. Two tracks, that combined, pass the 22-minute mark. The former, grandiose in a distinctive doom way, the heel dragging makes it even more uncomfortable. Soothsayer have little urgency about them so when they do flair up on this track, it’s even more shocking.

The latter has the darkness forced upwards to spread far and wide. Soothsayer reaching even deeper levels of heaviness than experienced so far which really shouldn’t have been possible but here we are. However, there is rhythm here and intense eruptions of near black metal scattered about. Each segment flowing from one to another with perfection.

Woah, this is a very special release. Soothsayer bring the doom but make it sound so fresh and refined.

Soothsayer – Echoes of the Earth Full Track Listing:

1. Fringe
2. Outer Fringe (feat. Pavol Rosa and Sean Breen)
3. War of the Doves (feat. Eugene Robinson of Oxbow)
4. Cities of Smoke
5. Six of Nothing (feat. Paul Catten of Medule Nocte, Murder One and Ralf Garcia of Requiem, Wolf Counsel)
6. True North (feat. Dave Ingram of Benediction, Hellfrost and Fire)

Links

Bandcamp | Facebook | Transcending Obscurity Records