Scald - Ancient Doom Metal (2024)^{Release ID: 53419}

Russian outfit Scald's debut album, Will of Gods Is a Great Power, is a somewhat legendary release in the epic doom canon. Unfortunately the band were never able to capitalise on it as the death of singer Agyl in 1997 inevitably led to the band calling it a day. 2019 saw them reform in order to perform at the Hammer of Doom festival with chilean vocalist Felipe Plaza Kutzbach of Procession stepping into the not inconsiderable shoes of Agyl. Things went so well that the band kept going, releasing a placeholder EP in 2021 and finally their sophomore full-length in this, Ancient Doom Metal.

Comparisons with the debut are inevitable, but aren't really useful as that was twenty-seven years ago now and times have changed. That said, whilst this is unlikely to overhaul "Will of Gods.." in the hearts of epic doom enthusiasts, it certainly doesn't tarnish it's legacy either and is a worthy release in it's own right. It gives off a lot of Solstice vibes, particularly later material like White Horse Hill and the Death's Crown Is Victory EP with the riffs and guitar tone having a lot of similarity to Rich Walker's work and that's a big positive in my book because anyone who knows me knows how highly I rate him. Those riffs are impressively huge-sounding with a satisfying solidity and depth to the tone, towering over the listener like the imposing walls of a medieval castle, which is really the requisite for any self-respecting epic doom riff. The riffs aren't the only game in town however, with dual guitarists, Ivan "Harald" Sergeev and Vladimir "Karry" Ryzhkovskiy, skillfully weaving some gorgeously melodic harmonies over the solid base provided by those looming riffs and when they let loose with their solos both guys soar high and far with uplifting and imperious instrumental work.

Naturally, vocalist Felipe Plaza Kutzbach is under the spotlight, as the replacement for the now legendary Agyl, but he proves to be a perfect fit for the band as his style is very similar to the former vocalist and his previous experience with Procession and Capilla Ardiente stands him in good stead and it is difficult to see how anyone else could have pulled this off better. I don't know when these tracks were written, whether they are partially written tracks from the initial incarnation of the band brought to completion or if they are newly-composed and I guess that indicates the consistency between this later collection and the original band's output which, considering the more than quarter century since the former appeared, is no mean feat. Obviously where this new release scores over the debut is in the huge improvement in the production values, with the original sounding almost demo-like compared to modern recordings. In some forms of metal this is no hindrance (and even a plus in some cases) but epic doom undoubtedly benefits from good production and that holds true here too with the increased depth of the sound giving the album a majestic quality that "Will of Gods Is a Great Power" can only really hint at.

Overall then, despite some initial apprehension for a follow-up to such a legendary release, I have to give Ancient Doom Metal a big thumbs up. The title is very fitting and it really does feel like doom metal that is reaching back through centuries of history to a time of mighty warriors, daring deeds and of blood and steel, in other words, all that great epic doom should be and the more I listen to it, the more I find myself falling in love with it.