Napalm/Sound Pollution
Dante Alighieri seems to have been inspirational for the ex. TYPE O NEGATIVE players Kenny Hickey, vocals/guitars, and John Kelly (DANZIG), drums. But they also include the usual list of LED ZEPPELIN, AC/DC and BLACK SABBATH. The others featured on the album are guitarist Matt Brown, and bass player Hank Hell (INHUMAN). According to the info sheet they marry SOUNDGARDEN to the early sound of BLACK SABBATH with their brand of Brooklyn doom metal, let´s find out.
It is soon beyond doubt that Brooklyn doom is very similar to Birmingham doom metal, but with a more modern context. Opener “Closing In” has barely transgressed into the title track before I´m convinced. If Ozzy, Tony, Geezer and Bill were to record their debut in 2010, this is pretty close to their supposed sound, not light years away from “Psycho Man”. Here is all the depressed despair of Tony etc, plus the groves and the rough vocals. Still there are also touches of the decadent but more seasoned seventies BLACK SABBATH. “The End of All Time” could have been pinched off “Technical Ecstasy”. At the same time it´s not miles from “Rusty Cage”, imagine that the nineties Seattle sound is also featured on this disc. “Broken Sky” is totally in that vein. I wonder what is Brooklyn in this mix? If I scrutinize “Killing You Slow” it is a lot of Brummie land included; the vocal style, the dist mode, the lyrics, everything really. The shrieks towards the end increase that feeling. 70-ies meets 90´s doom feels like the appropriate tag. Lyrically speaking I can see why they are on tour with MONSTER MAGNET, it is the same Geezer Butler infused world of fantasy that they are describing. It would have been interesting to dip in some of Tony Iommi´s love of jazz, perhaps more than is the case on “Drown Inside”, which is an interesting change. It is a petty they experiment with Kenny´s voice on “Death of a Junkie”, it doesn´t fit in here. That track is unfortunately the worst, by far, on the album. Closing track “Last Walk in the Light” is probably very Brooklyn! It is neither 70´s nor nineties, but totally in a class of its own. It´s rock with added weight and a lighter basic arrangement. But the 70-90 doom is prevailing, and one track less would have awarded them a 5/5 review!
Track List
Closing In
Heaven Is Gone
The End of All Time
Broken Sky
Killing You Slow
Slow Descent
Shadow on Me
Drown Inside
Death of a Junkie
Last Walk in the Light
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