The VIIth Coming

This isn't doom metal folks. Cathedral's first LP was pure doom, this one...not so much. It's got elements of doom most certainly, a little bit of thrash, and a hell of a lot of stoner metal thrown in. But, don't worry about the style, this is metal that pretty much any metal fan will enjoy. It's not too heavy so those of you against death or thrash won't be turned off. On the flip side, it doesn't have any self-indulgent wankery so those against prog can enjoy it. Cathedral have found a very healthy mix of styles and I'm sure it will appeal to a large group of music fans.
Getting on to the actual music on the disc. It's quite good. The guitar tone is mostly sludge but the whole band plays like they're tripping, so it sounds good. The vocals are very grungy and growling, but nothing you would hear on a death or black album. This vocalist can sound sinister, menacing, and dark without screaming or growling which is quite remarkable. The quality of the songwriting is pretty consistent even though the quality wanes towards the end. The album's first track "Phoenix Rising" may be worth the full price of the album alone, being one of the finest stoner metal songs I've heard.
So, it isn't a mind-blowing album, but it's good old fun. The band manages to deliver a good batch of songs pkayed with expert precision. It actually is difficult to play in a sludge style so I give the band credit for pulling it off without sounding comical. And maybe most importantly of all, no intelligent person on Earth can say this album is a Black Sabbath rip-off. Two thumbs up Cathedral...keep it up!
88/100

Cathedral's latest release, "The VIIth Coming" opens up with "Phoenix Rising", an uplifting-ish song in sound with Lee Dorrian's haunting vocals slicing through the song like a kneif, then we go into the even more upbeat song, "Resisting the Ghost", a song about not going back into the arms of the past and ex-girlfriends. Lee's vocals in this song just dance along with the guitars in a happy-ish tone.

In fact, the first three songs have that sort of uplifting vibe to them, quite unusual in Doom Metal, "Skullflower" is about being attracted to a mysterious, sexy woman and the tricks she plays on the heart. Lee must be hanging around the sort of ladies that only he can chat up. Trippy, man.

Then we get to the fourth song, where the tempo drops to a slower, downbeat guitar strumming with Lee's vocals going back into a haunting, mourning rythem...if only the drummer didn't hit the bloody snare so hard every 4 seconds...the organ owns you though.

"The Empty Mirror" continues on this vein and is quite epic (without using drugs of course) as it is over 8 minutes long. Not as doomy as the previous song or trippy like the first three.

The next song, "Nocturnal Fist" goes back to the upbeat sound of "Resisting the Ghost" and it goes into an alternate change of tempo between upbeat and downtrotten riffs and tones for the next three songs.

The real Doom Song in this album is the last song "Halo of Fire" - A real dose of downers given to you by the guitars, it is not advisible to take drugs during this song, you'll end up killing yourself, it's not a bad song, just a song not for taking drugs to, mmmkay?

There are some solos in this albums but not enough for the solo junkies among you but there are some solos in here (eg. "The Empty Mirror"), as for the upbeat songs, there is the organ that enhance the happiness in this album. Lee's vocals have a rough edge to them and they can be adopted into all the songs on this release.

Cathedral are pretty much the most consistent doom band around... while the other doom legends fizzled out during the early 90s or went experimental, Cathedral keep the stoner flame alive. Seventh Coming is a pretty unique album... think the rough edged riffs of Endtyme mixed with Carnival Bizarre's maximum groove. Cathedral rules and all metalheads should be required to listen to them.

The first few tracks are nothing extraordinary, but the album really picks up around Aphrodite's Winter, a doom-laden and sonically diverse song unlike anything Cathedral has done before. Empty Mirror blasts us back to reality... this is a fucking amazing song, about 8 minutes in length, that manages to encompass everything Cathedral is known for. And I, for one, LOVE THAT CHEESY 70s ORGAN. The organ rules. Do not fuck with the organ.

Black Robed Avenger is the other standout, another epic with an onslaught of riffage. Congregation of Sorcerers is a Celtic Frost tribute of sorts, complete with OOHs and raw guitars.

If you like Cathedral you'll like Seventh Coming... if you don't like Cathedral you might find it interesting, since this is their most "metal" album to date. I dig it.