Doom Prog

New York state doom keepers Inherus debut their post-metal creation, Beholden.

The four-piece heavy music band Inherus is hard to describe with a single tag. I like doom so I would call them doom, but they aren’t doom in a traditional sense. There are progressive elements in the music, but I wouldn’t call them a prog band. I used the “post-metal” label in the slug line, but I am not even sure what that is. How about this: Inherus combine elements that, on paper, might not seem to go together very well, and yet they achieve amazing results that I haven’t heard before in any other place. The band is Anthony DiBlasi (bass, vocals), Beth Gladding (vocals, guitar, synth, mandolin), Brian Harrigan (vocals, guitar, synth), and Andrew Vogt (drums).

“Forgotten Kingdom” starts with a shout and a pounding, and we’re off on this six-song set. Chunky guitar riffing and gruff, menacing vocals work their way around obstacles on the way to you. All the songs on this album are long (except one), so they all have multiple movements and tempo changes. The first slow down offers quiet, clear vocals as a beautiful but perhaps deadly respite. And then the music slowly builds back to its origin level. “One More Fire” starts out in the gentle posture, and overall has a sort of long ballad feel to it, with very little singing, comparatively. “The Dagger” paces itself, striding cautiously at first. The music is mysterious, both in its loud and quiet forms. There is dark magic here, and perhaps beasts lurking in the night and in the depths.

Side two gives us “Oh Brother” and some of the harshest constructions on the album. The middle third is extirpating. “Obliterated in the Face of Gods” is a two-minute song, the odd one out. It is primarily created sounds that set up the last gasp, “Lie to the Angels.” The jump this time is surprisingly chipper, although it does not stay that way for long. There is a kind of prog sense toying with this composition, trying to make headway among the harsh, aggressive voice and the clear, spellcasting singing. It is a heady deployment. This music will stay in your head for a long time after you walk away. Recommended.

Beholden greets the wide world on Friday, May 26^th through Hypnotic Dirge Records. Have a look at the links below.

Links.

Bandcamp, https://hypnoticdirgerecords.bandcamp.com/album/beholden

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/Inherus/

Hypnotic Dirge Records, https://www.hypnoticdirgerecords.com/

Gothenburg doom folk band Ockra release their debut album, Gratitude.

Ockra formed in Sweden in 2018 and is comprised of members of the stoner doom band Sulphur Dreams. The three wanted to stretch out a bit and explore related musical realms. The music they create floats between heavy and quiet, stoner and folk, pop and perhaps soft jazz. It is an interesting and uncommon combination. The band is Jonas Nyström (drums, percussion, mellotron), Erik Björnlinger (guitar), and Alex Spielhaupter (vocals, bass, mellotron).

“Introspection” is a song that is perfectly titled, and a nice way to ease into the seven-track set. It is short, quiet, and has a steady build toward “Weightless Again.” This guitar-driven song does indeed have a nostalgic tone to it in the rock beginning. The passage that enters next conjures a drifting sense of solitude and peacefulness. The quiet vocals are reassuring, but not because of what they are saying so much as for the way the singing feels in your ears. Toward the end, the framing returns to its initial state, making a big exit. “Tree I Planted” comes next, rolling in on a welcoming bass line. This one leans more in the folk direction, picking up toward the end. “Acceptance” is the heaviest so far, opening with a stern guitar riff and a serious, if not menacing, stance. The early lead guitar break is a sign of things to come. There is a mild-mannered moment but the song finishes heavy and it is a fine way to end side one.

The back triplet begins with “We, Who Didn’t Know,” an extremely quiet piece for half its duration, sounding then like music being played in a distant meadow. The second half is electric and resounding, filled with a depth of production. “Imorgon Här” is a lament, in my ears at least, told at a slow pace and with some trepidation. The final song is “Tage Wie Dieser,” set up in the by-now-familiar format of quiet and slow leading to more active, aggressive music. While there is some structural similarity to these songs, they do not really sound that much alike. Each has its own being, intent, and narrative. If you are in a reflective mood, this album will be most welcome. Recommended.

Gratitude is out on Friday, May 26^th through Argonauta Records. You can get more information at the links below.

Links.

Bandcamp, https://ockra.bandcamp.com/

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/ockraband/

Argonauta Records, https://www.argonautarecords.com/

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Inherus, Beholden (Hypnotic Dirge 2023)

Ockra, Gratitude (Argonauta 2023)