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The Doctor > The Doctor Is In > Reviews
The Doctor - The Doctor Is In

Excellent first demo - 85%

vorfeed, June 13th, 2005

This is the first demo from The Doctor, an American one-man band playing black metal.

For the most part, the guitar sound on this album is quite chunky and fuzz-laden, with some high, cutting guitar parts here and there. The drum machine programming is decent, though nothing special. It's quite clear that the drums aren't live, but then again, this works well with the sterile feeling of the music. Vocals are heavily-distorted croaks and growls. This renders the lyrics incomprehensible, but the final effect is quite atmospheric and obscure. There are a few movie samples and ambient sound parts. Some of these are a bit jarring, perhaps even tongue-in-cheek, but they're not too distracting.

The songwriting on this album tends toward the eerie and bizarre. Seemingly basic riff patterns branch off into strange mutations and dead ends, while the lead guitar parts seem somewhat off from what they ought to be... they're not incorrect so much as they are wrong in the Lovecraftian sense. Taken with the vocals, this creates an unsettled atmosphere, but one that's unquestionably metal. "The Doctor Is In" is as heavy as it is weird, full of unique and memorable riffing.

This is one of the best demos I've heard in some time. The atmosphere, concept, and sound are one-of-a-kind, the execution is nearly flawless (though I suppose the drum machine could be better), and the songwriting is top notch. I'll look forward to future demos from The Doctor... it's a wonder this project hasn't already been signed! Highly recommended.

Standout tracks: "No Need for Anesthesia", "This Isn't County General"

Review by vorfeed: http://www.vorfeed.net