Destroyer of Light - Chamber of Horrors

Texas band Destroyer of Light are unmistakably doom metal merchants. On their second album, they start out with a instrumental entitled "Whispers Into the Threshold". "Chamber of Horrors" largely follows the doom metal blueprint although the songs short length informs the listener know that Destroyer of Light are not your run of the mill dime a dozen Black Sabbath wannabe doom metallers. The follow up track "Into the Smoke" confirms this although the riffing and drumming is slow and certainly does bring Sabbath to mind, the throaty vocals at the start of the song add an element of sludge style heaviness but further through the track they switch to the more traditional style of doom vocals without missing a beat (pun intended since the tempo is slow). A horror movie sample opens "The Virgin" which is followed with vocals sung in a near whisper over a musically quiet part which doesn't last for long as there is some short yelling before the vocals transform into Ozzy style. A shouted part over doom and sludgy is an interesting turn within the song to further convey the feeling of sheer terror, which was set up by the track's opening sample. Destroyer of Light look towards 70's psychedelia in the instrumental track "Twilight Procession". The vocal delivery on "Buried Alive" contains a desperation reminiscent of Life of Agony's on their "River Runs Red" and grunted spoken vocals kick in around the mid-part of the song and there's no escaping from the uneasiness of a nightmare.

The electronic press kit states that Destroyer of Light are influenced by Eyehategod, Electric Wizard, Mercyful Fate and Autopsy. Still, like every other doom band Sabbath worship is of the highest priority. Just check out the tracks "Lux Crusher", " and "Prisoner of Eternity", which are pure Black Sabbath. However, Destroyer of Light make it much more interesting and really hit the mark when they integrate their non-doom influences especially on "The Virgin" and "Buried Alive" however they don't utilize these influences enough on "Chambers of Horrors" to truly separate themselves from the pack of doomsters.

3/5


Release date: 14 July 2017


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