Artist: Black Oath
Title: The Third Aeon (III)
Type: Album
Label: IHate Records

Let me make some assumptions, dear reader. Firstly, you are a person of infinite taste and sense, as you are here at the heart of all things metal on the intertubes, reading my unworthy scribbles. I will also now conclude that as the aforementioned connoisseur of all things metallic and heavy, that you, as I, am a huge Candlemass fan. At the very worst, you will have an appreciation for all things “Epic”, in the pre-lulz sense of the word. You like the mental images of muscular barbarians riding across vast plains, axes aloft. You enjoy music that is larger than your all too typical day to day existence. Hell, you probably spent a couple of nights in a Turkish prison. I know I have.

All this leads me cryptically to “The Third Aeon”, the new disc put out by Italian epic-farmers, Black Oath. IHate records don’t generally make any mistakes when they sign to their none-more-doom label, and these boys aren’t any exception. Peddling the kind of doom metal that Leif Edling himself would probably have at least a languid lazy lob on for, Black Oath bring the riffs in spades. So sure, it isn’t exactly the most original stuff ever – essentially being an homage to the Candlemass and Solitude Aeturnus branch of the doom tree, and hey, I won’t tell anyone that one of the main riffs from “Growth of a Star Within” sounds suspiciously like one from Candlemass classic “At the Gallows End” if you don’t – but it sure is good. It’s not all about the riffs, of course, though they are the main attraction. Here and there you will find some tasty organ flourishes (f’nar), which swathe the tracks in an occult / hammer horror kind of vibe that just requires some buxom wenches to fully round off the appeal. Likewise, the drumming is essentially schooled in the 70’s vibe, while singer erm….A.Th (don’t ask, I don’t fucking know, ok?) has that authentic metal voice that sounds like a perfect cross between Robert Lowe and a higher-pitched Ronnie James Dio. If this isn’t sending you already into paroxysms of metal induced boner-ism, then perhaps my assumptions about you were wrong. Or you’re a girl.

Six tracks here, all with the 70’s updated to the 2000’s production; it sounds nicely organic and warm-of-tone, but with the digital punch that the modern age can provide. The mid tempo traditional doom contained therein is a tasty treat for all of you of a discerning nature. Black Oath – proving that doom metal is not just Ancient Dreams.

http://www.myspace.com/blackoath666

Chris Davison

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