As I mentioned a few days ago, one of the best things to come from the traditional metal revival, at least for me, is the resurgence of what’s often called “proto-doom”, that kind of slow, thick heavy metal that ruled supreme in the days before the doom genre fully crystallized. My favorite thing about this sound is the merge of the slow chords and feedback with that classical guitar tones that set the pace in the early 80’s. I was ecstatic to receive Sundecay‘s Gale then, a tasty little EP that has one leg firmly in the domain of bands like Pentagram but draws plenty of comparison to Cirith Ungol for example. In short, it’s a celebration of the riff and a celebration of thick, deep vocals that’s certain to set your classically oriented hearts ablaze. We’re proud to premiere it in full today, ahead of it’s November 30th release.
“Heavy Motions” is such an excellent opening track; I love the “lurch” in the middle, as a quieter passage leads to an infectious and groovy riff that, when put together with the evocative vocals, reminds us of Pallbearer. Nor do the guitars relent until the very end of the track, offering variation upon variation of the riff’s progression as the bass tolls like massive bells in the background, slowly ushering in the climax of the track and the inevitable outro. This kind of energy and progression is maintained throughout the EP which benefits from its contained and accurate run-time; instead of the transitions wearing you down, you have every moment to savor the shifts in momentum, like when the slower opening to “Gale” gives in to a nasty, faster riff.
This makes Gale an album that pulls you back again and again because it’s just what you’re looking for, namely a “large” sounding album that doesn’t drag and wear you down. Sundecay have managed to condense their energy into a potent form, serving up an offering you can gladly sink your teeth into without feeling too full to function. Oh, and that artwork fucking slays as well. Don’t forget to head on through to the Bandcamp link below and pre-order the album!