ALBUM REVIEW: Gargoyle – Hail To The Necrodoom

Italian Blackened Death-Doom Metallers GARGOYLE have delivered their debut opus of necrotic horror-worship, out now via Sun And Moon Records.

Epic organs begin our descent into the pits of hell with a macabre 80s energy that fills the air with a smoke-laden feeling of foreboding. Grimy riffs draw the gloomy mood into the extreme with pounding drums and thick bass tones capturing that obscure essence that bands like Mortuary Drape mastered, clearly paying homage to the greats. Creepy leads meet the crushing rhythms as blastbeats and ferocious riffing ensues. The vocals range from taunting snarls to the epic warbles of Big Boss from Root’s style of chanted incantation. The harrowing onslaught of eeriness continues with deathly guitars and spectral vocals atop a monstrous drum performance, leading us into the cemetery for unspeakable apparitions to grand us audience. The masterful conjuration of truly otherworldly atmospherics is glorious with the excellence of the musicianship and its primal charms giving us a most inhuman soundtrack to total necrosis.

Continuing in the charnel vein, the ambience of the record continues to be superbly dark and morose with a brooding sense of danger that is intoxicating and captivating beyond comprehension. The vile melodies and unforgiving battery perfectly entwine with each other and ensnare the listener with its tomes of the occult. The diversity of this release is impeccable, perhaps the thing that makes it stand out so beautifully. From the deranged singing and malevolent raspy growls to the doomy riffs and mystical lead work through to the charging bass and dominant drum work, this band have so much talent to offer and do so in a non-pretentious way that harkens back to the obscure greats of Greece and the Eastern Bloc bands of the 80s and 90s. Blistering solos seem to borrow some Judas Priest energy on songs like “Where Evil Spawns”, showcasing just how eccentric the album can be, the way it goes from total NWOBHM soaring to the murky depths of the crypt without warning. Truly magnificent.

The prominence of the marching bass and pulverising drums is excellent, these elements giving an unbreakable and unwavering foundation to the immensely eerie guitars and vocals, working to deliver a whole piece gorgeously, rather than each member focusing only on their instrument. This must be emphasised as the end result functions to great effect as a singular entity that truly invoke horror and darkness, rather than a gathering of sounds without purpose, the mark of visionaries as far as I am concerned. Of course one could argue there is not innovation in worshipping greats like Mortuary Drape, Root, Mystifier and the like, but that is untrue. The unique and potent visions here are palpable and inarguable, honouring the classics rather than ripping them off. Astounding work.

This debut album is a phenomenal opus that will infect the mind with ritualistic doom and visions of ghastly beings that, though malicious, will certainly entertain any fans of Extreme Metal on the more obscure and eccentric side. Ancient Heavy Metal brought to present day with no less relevance or power than it ever had, a real spectacle of doom! -9/10