Album Review: Tommy Stewart’s Dyerwulf – Doomsday Deferred (Black Doomba Records)

From its inception, Tommy Stewart’s Dyerwulf has been an outlier, a perplexing charge which the metal scene has never been able to put its finger on. A solo project for metal nerds, Tommy Stewart’s Dyerwulf embraces a minimalistic approach to doom, but with a light at the end of the tunnel in the form of Stewart’s new release “Doomsday Deferred” – a mammoth CD/vinyl release on September 3rd, 2021 via Black Doomba Records.

Tommy Stewart comments:

The making of this album happened during a dark time for me, the same dark year or so many of us had to endure in 2020. Writing and recording this album was a catharsis, a personal therapy, and the session helped me break through the loneliness of isolation that I’m sure many of you could find relatable. ‘Doomsday Deferred’ shares my personal journey from dark to light with you.

Dark doom, uncluttered doom, heavy doom… Tommy Stewart’s ten-track purification is a momentous listen. An album that drips in gloomy vibes with vibrant bursts of light here and there. A short spoken-word intro leads into Shadow in the Well. Where fuzzy and syrupy covered riffs dominate but are backed up thick and primitive percussion. Some comfort coming from the echoing and clean vocals.

With some increased urgency, Two Trog Yomp is utter filth but with a psychedelic groove that gets under the skin. Infectious and spreading, it leads to Madness for Two, an apt title as this is… weird. A short instrumental that is heavy on bass. It’s got a real ‘jam’ feel about it but works because it is so short and frantic.

The middle portion of the album really doubles down on the variety though.

Rolling My Own has a rock and roll energy to it but one that vibrates through the body. Not Prey to Yourself has captivating eeriness with chilled out tendencies dominated by the drumbeat. Indiscriminat Trepidation has layered vocals and uncomfortable guitar parts before we get something of a return to a traditional doom effort with Stars Flee in Pain. The methodical pacing, elements drawn out, a sense of weight and weightlessness at the same time. It’s a very special track.

How do you follow that? With the sound of dread. Holy hell, Why the Rotting Sun Speaks in Tongue will fill your mind, body and soul with primordial feelings of fear. Thank goodness, By the Blood of Mars is there to cleanse the palette… sort of.

You can feel exactly what Tommy Stewart was going through on this album. You really can. It’s an incredible showcase of his mind and feelings, the end result is eclectic and unusual, but aren’t all the best things?

Tommy Stewart – Doomsday Deferred Full Track Listing:

1. Doomsday Malum
2. Shadow in the Well
3. Two Trog Yomp
4. Madness for Two
5. Rolling My Own
6. Not Prey to Yourself
7. Indiscriminat Trepidation
8. Stars Flee in Pain
9. Why the Rotting Sun Speaks in Tongues
10. By the Blood of Mars

Links

Bandcamp