Indigo Raven - Looking for Transcendence
A thoroughly listenable, contemporary take on doom, fans of dark, heavy music should give this a spin.
On this debut, Toulouse-based Indigo Raven present a modern take on doom metal. Although clearly influenced by the so-called Peaceville Three of Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride and Anathema, Indigo Raven also put their own twist on things.
Our Sacred Soil opens with chanting and tribal drumming, melding Native American songscapes, Sami joiking and a pagan ceremony before breaking into downtuned, heavy-as-hell, glacially slow guitar riffage. The heaviness continues with Palin Genesis and Small-hearted & Blind. The White Knight Syndrome and Nightshade Winds add goth majestic, recalling Fields of the Nephilim at their slowest and heaviest. Where Lies Our Heart and Into Dust take things in a different direction. The former is an a cappella reminiscent of Lisa Gerrard with Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares, the latter a surprisingly faithful – if heavy - Mazzy Star cover.
Julie Docteur’s vocals range from deep and dark to majestic and soaring. Jean Green’s bass is low down and dirty. Benoît Sangoï’s guitars have all the usual doom stylings, with a good dose of Sunn 0))) and Amenra. The only criticism is that the drumming – also by Sangoï – can be a tad pedestrian.
A thoroughly listenable, contemporary take on doom, fans of dark, heavy music should give this a spin.
8/10
