Reviews list for Delirium - Zzooouhh (1990)

I'd like you to think about how many death-doom bands are inspired by Celtic Frost and be amazed by how much that band inspired many bands in death and/or doom even though they have their own different sound that mixes those elements. This kind of death-doom would never die out, despite a bumpy start. Bands like Winter and Delirium would each try their own take of the doomy parts of their first couple Celtic Frost albums, but sadly split up afterwards...

For the sole album from Delirium, Zzooouhh (wow, that wacky title sounds like some kind of snore), we have the smashing guitar, growls, and groove of death metal that then collapses into the slow monstrous doom metal, a captivating mix also done by Winter the same year. It's strange how this style barely caught on as much as other genres like thrash metal. With that said, Delirium's Zzooouhh sounds so fresh and inspiring, with the harsh guitar, riff variation, and tempo changes pleasing heavier metalheads who want more. It's obvious how much the fast-doom ratio has been influenced from Celtic Frost, though it's not just that kind of influence.

The album starts weird with the intro "The Ninth Dimension". Then the 6-minute "The Warrior" rolls on, though the speed isn't all that delivered well. What works well here is the catchy riffing in the first minute. The odd-titled "B***h" doesn't level up the fun factor, and even with the influences from Celtic Frost and Death, sounds a bit lame. "Amputation" doesn't have the addictive riffing that would level up the length. However the crawling doom is much more promising.

We finally have a death-doom anthem here in "Voices from Zzooouhh". This is standard early death-doom to lighten my mood with barely any disadvantages, again taking those Celtic Frost influences and making a style that Asphyx would later popularize. "Flood of Intricate" also sounds more fresh and compelling. It starts off sounding like something from a horror movie before kicking off the doom riffing Cathedral would later have, while continuing the Celtic Frost-inspired rhythm. Delirium can really be in the middle of this connective exchange in a good way.

"Menace Unseen" doesn't start as a banger right away but soon quickly grows into one. Right off the death metal bat, the vocalist screams in a way that rises from his usual growling to a full-on Death-esque shriek. The tremolos are on fire and there are unexpected times when even the guitars shriek! "The Sign of Urth" has riffing fury that sounds more towards hardcore/deathgrind but the rhythm action of Celtic Frost is still there, right? Also a notable highlight! "Beyond the Gates of the Afterdead" is the final surprise, a 9-minute epic that almost works as two parts. The first half in a constant mood-changer, crawling through until another Celtic Frost-powered drive in the verse, with the riffing soon morphing to thrash. Then the second half is a grand turn into driving death metal before ending on a creepy note. Far better than those first few tracks!

Zzooouhh is not really the absolute best of death-doom because of those beginning tracks, thereby having a little less points than that Spooky Gloom album, but the rest is essential death-doom for fans of the subgenre and Celtic Frost. Pretty neat if you just start at track 5 and not think too much of the strange album title....

Favorites: "Voices from Zzooouhh", "Flood of Intricate", "The Sign of Urth", "Beyond the Gates of the Afterdead"