Angel of Damnation - Heathen Witchcraft (Shadow Kingdom Records)
Below is the audio for "Tear off the veil off the Sun"
Angel of Damnation are essentially a side band of Gerrit P. Mutz (vocals/bass, ex-Battleroar, Sacred Steel, Dawn of Winter) and Daniel Chicos (guitars, Nocturnal, Front Beast). In their second attempt, "Heathen Witchcraft", they continue on the same path of unrelenting Candlemass-esque epic doom which is truly their bread and butter. Recently signing to a bigger label allowed the band to access a wider array of doom fans and this second release became a trademark of quality for doom metal in 2019, combining monolithic slow riffing with the epic vocal colours of Mutz. Opener "Brimstone Sorcery" sets the tone with slow paced rhythms, brilliantly juxtaposed to the epic vocals. "Dragged to the Torture Wheel" is more groovy without deviating from the formula, while "Gospel of the Servant(The Damnation of Gehena)" is clearly influenced by "Ancient Dreams" in terms of lyricality and melodic synchronisation. "Heathen Witchcraft" is one of the slower and doomier tracks you can hear anywhere, slowly building among whispers and screams but lacking a release valve, ultimately leading to internal despair. "Lord of the Seven Churches" reveals a more Pentagram-esque influence on the band, which is necessary to alleviate the abysmal weight of its predecessor. Finally, the album concludes with the EPIC "Tear off the Veil off the Sun", which is more in line with the epic metal sensitivities of Mutz and less within the expectations of the album, but remains an excellent track which not only showcases a different side of the band but also closes a very heavy doom album on a positive note, which some times is all a poor man can ask. An album certainly for not all moods, but definitely worth a spin when you are in for some real doom metal!
94.2/100
Below is the audio for "Tear off the veil off the Sun"
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