DREAD SOVEREIGN – All Hell’s Martyrs
- by Matt Coe
- Posted on 29-05-2014
An Irish doom metal trio that features Primoridal’s Alan Averill on bass/ vocals and Simon O’Laoghaire on drums, along with Wizards of Firetop Mountain’s Bones on guitar, "All Hell’s Martyrs" is their debut album. 7 full length songs, 2 instrumentals, and a newspeak "Drink the Wine" opener means prepare for a long record, as three of the songs easily top the 10 minute mark. Expect material that labors, classic doom with darkened metal touches. "Cthulu Opiate Haze" resonates through thick bass plodding, swirling guitar effects, and hypnotic low keyboard droning. "Pray to the Devil in Man" contains a spoken word-like verse opener, Alan conveying the lyrics as if speaking in tongues as the riff/tempo combination swirls in a low Saint Vitus meets Cirith Ungol fashion.
67 minutes can be a touch too long for this style of mystical doom metal, but overall "All Hell’s Martyrs" will gain much appeal because of the trio ardent attention to the style at hand. Curious to hear what will happen on a follow up.
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