Almost all of europe is being raided by snowstorms and extreme cold. The (obvious?) exception is this shithole here, at the southeastern corner of the continent, where summer forgot to leave and one has the hellish delight to wake up at 7 in the morning in December the 2nd and watch the thermometer pointing at 22°C. Doom is imminent.
I haven't heard much traditional doom this year with the exception of the excellent Hooded Priest that are for me a surprise like Griftegård were last year. A couple of months ago I stumbled upon Pallbearer, an american doom band that were giving their demo away for free downloading. An honest effort of pure melancholic doom metal (this means no sludge, no drone, no whatever else passes as doom these days) in the vein of the mighty Warning. Guitars are crushing and oppressive but the focal point here are the mournful and passionate vocals that are complimenting the band's sound. The demo features two original songs plus a cover of 'Gloomy Sunday' by Hungarian composer Rezső Seress. The song was composed in 1933 to a poem by László Jávor and it seems to be a song practically begging for a doom metal interpretation. The composer committed suicide in 1968 and numerous urban legends connect the song with various suicides which is why it is also known as the 'hungarian suicide song'.
Bjork has been one of the (not exactly few) singers that have covered Gloomy Sunday in the past. A recent performance was at the Alexander McQueen's memorial service. Obviously I couldn't care less about fashion and gay culture but I always had an affection for Bjork's avant garde and over the top persona. Furthermore I like the fact that the politically correct majority will turn blue by the disrespect shown by the individual that recorded the video in the cathedral.
Doom, gloom and Satan...
Deathspell Omega - Paracletus
Woven hand - Mosaic
Krieg - The Isolationist
Urfaust - Der freiwillige Bettler
Inquisition - Ominous Doctrines of the Perpetual Mystical Macrocosm
AMSG
