It’s one thing to claim that you’re epic. It’s another thing to actually be epic. I’ve heard many so called “epic” metal bands that have bored me to tears. Writing fantasy themed lyrics and aping the best Cirith Ungol riffs does not make you “epic”. You must transcend the barrier between yourself and the listener. Don’t just rattle off lyrics about battle. Throw them into that battle. The riffs should create atmosphere and bring the lyrics to life. If you aren’t doing this, you’re simply relying on a Metal Archives genre tag as a crutch.
I had never heard of Godthrymm prior to their debut album, Reflections. Seeing the “epic doom metal” label made me wary, yet curious as some of my favorite bands fall under this category (Candlemass anyone?). I figured why not give it a shot? Reflections begins with “Monsters Lurk Herein”. If the monsters they’re referring to are the riffs, it makes perfect sense. This is no half baked, Bandcamp bedroom project. Godthrymm is the real deal. They have riffs and they have them in spades.
“Among the Exalted” carries on these massive riffs while the drums, bass, and vocals cry from a distance. I usually prefer a while balanced mix, but on an album such as this, the riffs deserve to be boosted to the front. “The Sea as My Grave” illustrates my point of the riff’s importance. On this song, the riffs represent the sea. As each minute trudges along, I imagine myself slowly descending into the underwater abyss. A delicate twin lead passage segues into another hard hitting riff. Never has there been a better soundtrack be submerged to.
Godthrymm should also be praised for their excellent use of contrast. The already heavy riffs seem even heavier thanks to calm and quiet sections which serve as breaks. These are evident on songs such as the opener, “Monsters Lurk Herein”, “The Light of You”, and my favorite track, “We Are the Dead”. The majority of Reflections utilizes gruff, but not guttural, vocals. “We Are the Dead” is a departure from this with clean, melodic vocals that remind me of fellow countrymen Pagan Altar.
The vocal stylings of “We Are the Dead” is not the only pleasant surprise on Reflections. “The Grand Reclamation” begins with a riff that is distinctly Sabbathian. It was the trill riffing that gave me the suspicion, but wait…what’s this? You could only imagine my shock when I reached the last 2 minutes of the song. This is uptempo headbanging doom at it’s finest! You got me there Godthrymm!
The centerpiece of Reflections is the longest track, “Cursed Are the Many”. I’m convinced this features the heaviest damn riff on the album. I’d like to use this song to showcase another highlight of the album I have failed to mention thus far: the soloing. Sharp toned and played with heart, it recalls the solos of early Peaceville acts My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost. This makes sense since guitarist/singer, Hamish Hamilton Glencross, was the longtime axeman for the former. I’d argue the “Cursed Are the Many” solo rivals the likes of David Gilmour. Remember kids, shredding is not everything. There’s a lot to be said about tone and emotion.
With Reflections, Godthrymm has passed the “epic” test. I look forward to seeing where the future takes them and where they’ll take me on their next riff loaded, doom laden adventure.
7 out of 10
Label: Profound Lore Records
Genre: Epic Doom Metal
For fans of: Candlemass, Warning, My Dying Bride