Dool - Here Now, There Then album review

Still soaring from their utterly transfixing appearance at last year’s Roadburn, these Dutch voyagers hope to bottle the electricity of their live set in this mindbending eight-track debut. Psych metal continues to suffer from an identity crisis; rather than heading into deeper realms of experimentalism, too many of today’s heavy trippers lazily mine the formula of early 70s proto-metal. Thankfully, Dool unveil an invigorating update of the style, infusing sturdy classic rock structures with richly nuanced soundscapes that smoulder with dark gothic overtones. In fact, Here Now… owes far more to The Sisters Of Mercy than to Sabbath or Pentagram. Catching the spirit of late 80s post-punk, tracks like She-Goat and Golden Serpents spin and revel with the ghosts of The Mission and particularly The Church, while Oweynagat evokes a raw, heart-pounding urgency. Bristling with punchy, even ‘danceable’ tempos and a striking vocal turn from Ryanne van Dorst, Dool’s debut is primal, potent and thoroughly