Formed in 2013, Heavydeath was created with one refreshingly unpretentious objective: to create no frills “heavy death” music. And so far the Swedish trio – who boast a wealth of experience in more frantic bands including Runemagick, Sacrementum and Necrocurse – have unrelentingly done this over the course of numerous demos in 2014. Continuing their prolific approach to recording comes the debut ‘Eternal Sleepwalker’, recorded with drum-kit, bass, guitar, and no overdubs. In line with this old school faith in their ability to play their material correctly, Heavydeath’s music is a minimalist landscape of crushing riffs and beats with atmospheric nuances seeping through. Indeed, it’s hard to disagree with the band’s assessment of it sounding “heavy as death”.
Opening track ‘Ascending’ emerges from the void before settling in with slug paced riffs and drum beats. Adding to the scene are a few monk-like chants amidst the rumbling heavy doom although it’s not until the death imbibed main vocals take their place that the morose depth of Heavydeath’s music is revealed. Aside from the odd glimmer of hope along the way, and a nicely philosophical section in which ponderous guitars and indifferent bass unite, it rarely deviates from being a (excuse the pun) heavy death-doom ordeal. ‘Road to the Fire’ operates similarly, crashing together the concepts of faith and mortality to brutal effect. As we delve further into the record, the instrument which stands out most is the bass. On that previously mentioned composition it brings a crusty, decaying edge to proceedings, whereas on following track ‘Bow Down’ it’s easy to imagine subwoofers imploding under the weight of some of the notes. What’s more, the continued use of those chanted vocals in this atmosphere is most effective, adding a touch of black metal artistry.
Above all, Heavydeath’s musical journey is a ritualistic and hypnotic one – as you may have gleaned from the album title. When the riffs aren’t transfixing and suffocating, asides such as the veritable doom stomp on the title track draw you in both via the arrangement itself as well as the inescapably grotty, distorted sound. At times, it’s even as if this mesmeric aura spills over into the vocals. The foremost example I have in mind for this is on ‘Heavy as Death’, where Nicklas Rudolfsson’s voice appears hypnotised as riffs and drums go slowly and repetitively by. But again, for all that the music repeats itself, there are enough minor diversions to keep even your average dabbler in doom engaged by the experience: from the serpentine passages on ‘Eat the Sun’ to the speedier rhythms found within ‘Heavy as Death’. The most distinct track of the entire record however is spaced-out closer ‘Beyond the Riphean Mountains’, which explores the vast wastelands of the death-doom landscape with limited notes and plenty of droning guitar.
For the most part I find ‘Eternal Sleepwalker’ to be highly effective. It’s certainly an album capable of blowing the cobwebs from the deepest recesses of my skull with its sheer weight: on one hand an immense beast leaving a trail of thick, black sludge in its wake; on the other, a spiritualistic journey in which monastic chants rise up from desolation. Admittedly, fifty-plus minutes is more than I normally take on in one sitting, and it’s hard to say how your seasoned doom or death-doom veteran might rate Heavydeath’s music against other albums of a similar ilk, but I personally find it does the job nicely (or grimly, depending on which way you want it). Either way, Heavydeath’s debut is well worth investigating.
(8/10 Jamie)
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