Godthrymm - Distortions (2023)^{Release ID: 46810}

Godthrymm were formed by vocalist and guitarist Hamish Glencross who, along with drummer Shaun Taylor-Steels, was a member of My Dying Bride for some of their most iconic albums. Unsurprising then that they sound heavily influenced by the Yorkshire gothic death doom pioneers. The lineup is completed with Sasquatch Bob Crolla on bass and Glencross' wife Catherine was brought in as keyboard player and full-time female singer in 2022, after guesting as vocalist on a couple of tracks on the debut.

Although the MDB influence is apparent, this is nothing like as sorrow-ridden and mournful-sounding as the seminal Peaceville acolytes. The riffs aren't universally crushing and although they do carry sufficient weight, there is also an intangible airiness concealed within them that allows the tracks to breathe rather than being stultifyingly uncompromising. This effect is also enhanced by the concentration on clean vocals, not just Catherine's female vocals, but also Hamish's cleans seem to soar rather than bear the listener down. The rhythm section of Bob's bass and Shaun's drumming also keep things driving forward and are relatively busy for a doom album, providing further variation within the overall doom aesthetic.

The album as a whole and the individual tracks themselves are longer than on Reflections and so allow for more development and atmosphere-building with the songwriting seeming to have received an upgrade in the interim between albums. Overall, I would say that this is an album that takes a classic doom metal template and weaves lighter melodies within the riffing whilst harnessing a gothic aesthetic to produce an album that still manages to remain quite heavy, whilst delivering a refreshing and expansive atmosphere. It may not appeal to everyone, but I think it provides something a little bit different whilst not departing enormously fom what doom metal afficianados would be justified in expecting.