It has been a full five years since Harvest Gulgaltha let their debut full length album slither out into the world. Entitled ‘Altars of Devotion’, the album came nearly a decade after the band’s inception and their release rate has always been on the sparse side. However, 2022 saw the return of the Phoenix Black/Death Metal triumvirate and a sophomoric album release entitled ‘Ancient Woods’ which has been put out through Godz ov War productions across all formats.

Featuring seven tracks and weighing in at thirty five minutes, ‘Ancient Woods’ is an inky black stain on the tapestry of musical history. Played at laboriously methodical tempo, the album casts an appalling gloom over the world through the use of riffs that bubble and churn and seethe constantly, whilst combining with a monstrous drumming cacophony and furious bass tones. This Arizona trio really do know how to create a dense, melodious atmosphere and manage to add to that through a vocal range that soars and crawls, as well as resounding with ravaging growling fury. In short, Harvest Gulgaltha are superb at creating a bleak, nocturnal and crushing sound.

What lets ‘Ancient Woods’ down is the fact that it is, and there is no way of saying this nicely; boring! The album grinds and churns along at a plodding pace and all of the creative energy that the band possesses seems to go into creating the murky atmosphere. From there though the song writing trails off and the album really starts to drag. All of a sudden those thirty five minutes are starting to look very arduous. Musicianship; Superb! Atmospherics; grim, bleak and monolithic! Creativity; Stunted.

(6/10 Marksson)

https://www.facebook.com/harvestgulgaltha

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/ancient-woods