Gothenburg doomsters Altareth finally drop their debut long player “Blood” after having formed in 2013. Theirs is a classic, fuzzed up doom sound drawing from the well of the masters but also taking influence from as far afield as Opeth and Bathory and they clearly revel in their country’s rich heavy metal history.
The primal riffage that announces opening cut “Blood” sounds like the beginning of an evil ritual. Paddy Strömberg’s clean vocals have a chant-like quality that almost enter an Ozzy styled wail. The sound and indeed the overall vibe draws from Electric Wizard and is swathed in darkness. “Satan Hole” has an oddly cheery chant of the song title before giving way to a luscious proto metal riff. A rubbery bottom end gives it plenty of heft and it has a quirky Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats sound that lends it a faux occult slant. This spills over into “Downward Mobile” with howled vocals over a fuzzed-up groove that reminds me of German garage psyche rockers Kadavar.
The second half of the album sits more in Electric Wizard territory. “Moon” has a buzzing, grubby introduction that builds into a hypnotic, psychedelic swirl. A rather mournful sound yet warm and emotive it shows the band pushing a little further. There’s a sense that the album constantly builds to a point and the closing track “Empty” reflects this. The riffs drive down that bit harder and they make full use of light and shade to accentuate the heavy vibe.
There’s no sense of the overblown on “Blood”. The album, whilst rooted in its influences shows a band very capable of expressing themselves to solid effect. The whole thing has a very live sound that will please fans of the genre.
(7/10 Johnny Zed)
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