Napalm/Sound Pollution
The Dutch/Swedish joint venture THE 11TH HOUR sports death metal veterans Ed Warby (GOREFEST, HAIL OF BULLETS etc.) and Pim Blankenstein (OFFICIUM TRISTE). The first album “Burden of Greif” (2009) featured Rogga Johansson of THE GROTESQUERY/PAGANIZER etc but he was too ill to carry on here. In stepped Pim, their live vocalist, and here is the result.
Seven tracks on a full album means doom, but also a new guitarist role (drums too though) for Ed. First served is “We All Die Alone”, with a synthesizer intro and a grand melody – sadly somewhat let down by the growls. I´d love to hear a version with clean vocals though. From then on the class is higher the cozy riffs, the softer paces, the sheer slowness of the likes of the duet “Reunion Illusion” is ticking all the right doom boxes. As a Swede I start as the CANDLEMASS riff of “Tears of the Bereaved” hits my ears. Album closer “Bury Me” has a lingering keyboard pattern, an epic grandeur of sadness and beauty in equal proportions and growls that actually fits. Schizophrenic as it may come across I think you should lend THE 11th HOUR an ear.
Track List
We All Die Alone
Rain on Me
The Death of Live
Tears of the Bereaved
Reunion Illusion
Nothing But Pain
Bury Me
www.napalmrecords.com www.myspace.com/11thhourdoom
