Brimstone Coven’s The Woes Of A Mortal Earth: doom rock the way they used to make it

US doomsters Brimstone Coven party like it’s 1973 on new album The Woes Of A Mortal Earth

(Image: © Ripple Music)

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This Ohio trio have spent nearly a decade honing their time warped chops across four albums, but despite a stint on Metal Blade – and the all-consuming Sabbath influence – their nocturnal doom rock never quite commits to anything as heavy as metal. Although the riffs are neatly clipped, and the band interplay notable for its economy and restraint, these six tunes have an agreeably hazy, relaxed quality. Only one exceeds seven minutes; there is a psychedelic element – especially the detached, opiated dual vocals – but songs remain pointed and disciplined, with spooky, spidery melodies that creep up on you. Unlike many in this idiom, BC don’t get too obsessive about retro trappings or occult leanings, and while they’re happy to cruise at glam-stomp tempo, the most satisfying moments are the most downcast.


Chris Chantler

Chris has been writing about heavy metal since 2000, specialising in true/cult/epic/power/trad/NWOBHM and doom metal at now-defunct extreme music magazine Terrorizer. Since joining the Metal Hammer famileh in 2010 he developed a parallel career in kids' TV, winning a Writer's Guild of Great Britain Award for BBC1 series Little Howard's Big Question as well as writing episodes of Danger Mouse, Horrible Histories, Dennis & Gnasher Unleashed and The Furchester Hotel. His hobbies include drumming (slowly), exploring ancient woodland and watching ancient sitcoms.