Devil Seed - Devil Seed (2020)^{Release ID: 17523}

This eponymous album is the debut release for these Hungarian doomsters. Whilst taking cues from bands like Windhand, Jex Thoth and co, their female-fronted occult doom doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, but also manages to avoid sounding too derivative. Singer Stragessa has an effective and well-controlled voice, with a decent range and no histrionics. The riffs are medium-slow, trad doom with some decent hooks, but could do with a little more heft. Keyboards are very subtly applied and don't swamp the music, so it doesn't get too corny or overtly gothic-sounding. Most of the tracks are in the 8 to 9 minute range, so the band allow plenty of time for the songs to develop and deploy some nice melodies within the riffs.

Probably won't have too many new fans flocking to the female-fronted doom banner, but should please existing fans of the style.