BLACK OATH

Italy's BLACK OATH must have read with strict attentiveness the instructions for making deep, mournful, and long traditional doom metal songs and then put its collective heart and soul into the effort, which is manifested in full-length debut "The Third Aeon". That studious approach combined with a conveyance of bleakness that cannot be taught and six well-written dirges makes the album a cinch for doom fans to devour.

With tempos just quicker than a funeral procession, riffs that cast long, menacing shadows, fantastic church organ support, and melodic/melancholic vocals summarily describes the bulk of the material on "The Third Aeon". The fact that little here will make you think of anything other than either early CANDLEMASS or SOLITUDE AETERNUS is something that most fans of the style would consider a very good thing. "Growth of a Star Within" is quintessential in this respect, as it meets the style both legends in the middle. BLACK OATH plays it like they mean it, which in this sense equates to massive riff tonnage and lyrics akin to your world crashing down around you, characteristics that are apparent right off the bat with a strong (and seriously old school CANDLEMASS),eight-minute behemoth called "Death as Liberation" and ends with "The Black Oath", a divine 12-minute epic that includes a classic break for up-tempo CATHEDRAL romping.

The approach is definitely a traditional doom one, at least as far as keeping things song-based, no matter the length of the march, as well as making raw emotion a core component. No hesitations here in recommending "The Third Aeon" for fans of the vintage fare. BLACK OATH is a band that you may be hearing more and more about over the next few years. By the way, has anyone else heard the rumors about new rock 'n doom super group BLACK OATH ARKANSAS? You should pay more attention to those grapevine vibrations.