MoMM (64): Reality check

I pretty much bought this album because of a personal doom metal resurgence of sorts. I'm still not an Ozzy fan, I bought this for the music. Master of Reality is perhaps one of the pioneers of doom but music journalists deem it as stoner / sludge rock. Until a definitive music theory separates these genre comprehensively, I am happy to treat is as doom. The tempo & arrangement pretty much defines doom as we know it today. Mind you, doom itself was a term coined retrospectively; someone said it's doom then did a throwback trawl & realized Black Sabbath sounded like they pretty much started the movement.

In any case, I'm embracing how down-tempo plays a very big part in doom. In my metal domain, speed is essential so when speed plays a lesser part in this sub-genre, it doesn't sit well with me. Then again, doom has a heavy emphasis, not speed. Iommi's work here pivots on his magnificent riffing more than his solos; they sounded very bluesy but that's what you get if your ideas are rooted in the pentatonic scheme of things. Master of Reality is enjoyable. It could have been a blast if the fuzz was properly generated but hey, it's done in 1971.

Cathedral: The Guessing Game

I very much dislike mentioning the music genre peddled by Cathedral- Doom Metal. It conjures some slack instrumental execution, one associated with the lack of technical capacity & endorsed laziness. When asked by colleagues & friends alike what this music is all about, I often gave them a two-word answer: Black Sabbath.

But the sonic assault offered by Cathedral isn't one bent on crawl pace heaviness, Cathedral's craft hinges on variety & much technical know-how by all instrumentalists in the band. The Guessing Game could be touted as the band's best effort, period. I personally thought its predecessor, The Garden of Unearthly Delights, was tough to beat but the band has internalized their potential & beating themselves at their own game isn't an issue. What can you expect from The Guessing Game? Constructive guessing, definitely. We continue to ponder if there are other hidden developments to be offered by the band in perspective of their progressive developments. This 2-disc offering is a Cathedral definitive & more. The band has honed their abilities to such an extent they could get away or turn creative the most trivial issues they decide to manifest in their music, as exemplified by the concluding track (Disc 2) Journeys to Jade- an ode to... themselves.

Skitliv: Skandinavisk Misantropi

This is the sophomore release from the ex-Mayhem front-man, Maniac. Skitliv is a doom outfit, Maniac is currently in admiration of all things down-tempo & crushing. He cited Burzum as inspiration. As such, there's only one track which alludes to black metal, if this was intentional at all- Densetsu. Please do not expect any persistent manifestations of the aforementioned music genre, majority of the tracks here are deliberately unhurried. Guitar-wise, Skandinavisk Misantropi is unpretentious in its delivery. No technical noodlings but all the necessary ingredients to get the job done.