EPITAPH – Crawling Out of the Crypt
- Posted on 21-11-2014
Originally active in the 1980’s like many bands of the past, Italy’s Epitaph gains a second lease on life, thanks to the recruitment of new guitarist Lorenzo Loatelli and German record label High Roller Records. "Crawling Out of the Crypt" is their debut album, decades in the making – and proof that doom metal is not solely a UK or North American phenomenon.
8 songs in the main (plus "Crying Puppets" as a bonus cut for all of you vinyl maniacs) that bleed for morose, classic doom metal. Lorenzo’s down-tuned guitars possess Iommi-like reverence along with Swedish pioneers Candlemass on highlights like "Sacred and Prophane" (think "Nightfall" period here) and the relatively swinging "Loser One". Emiliano Cioffi has that semi-operatic charm in his delivery, majestic and mysterious but perfect to deliver chilling melodies on "Ancient Rite" and the nine minute journey that is "Daughters of Lot". Add in a rhythm section that can add a little bit of progressive song and dance amidst those thick, slow churning chord parts and you have the recipe for success.
"Crying Puppets" shows a lot of emotive lead break ability for Lorenzo Loatelli, more in line with Gary Moore and Michael Schenker than a typical doom effort- and hopefully will be something the band continues to explore down the line. Epitaph has been waiting a long time to release a proper album, which should be mandatory for a lot of the classic 80’s doom fanatics into Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus, and early Trouble. "Crawling Out of the Crypt" hopefully will not be a solitary record, as Epitaph deserve this second chance at a wider following.