Slayerking, The: Sanatana Dharma

I recently recommended this album to a friend and now I recommend it to all of you. I do so with one small caution: take your time. Like a slow burn horror film, this album works its way into the ears and the mind slowly and deliberately. Obviously, there's no big scare at the end, but there is a generally satisfying album here. On a first listen, people will hear the immediate power of the guitars—and the riffs here are awesome—but Slayerking deserves more than just praise for high quality riffing. On subsequent listens, the subtler aspects of the album come out. I was especially drawn to the groovy bass lines and the occasional odd noises from the guitars (listen to "Magnificent Desolation," for example). In addition to the doomier work, there are also some mellower tracks. These are probably best described as dark rock songs. They build mood through arpeggios and slightly whispered vocals. I liked "My Lai" better than "We are the End" even though both tracks work at roughly the same level.

For those who like Nightfall, this band includes Efthimis Karadimas and the music builds on the kind of work Nightfall does; it also connects nicely to bands like Paradise Lost and Tiamat. In general, the music is a mixture of doom, goth, and dark rock—heavy music that gives traditional metal an edge. There's a slight influence of punk rock here as well though it's more in the sound than in the style. This album doesn't try too hard to sound slick and polished. Instead, it's music that sounds like it was recorded live; things aren't always perfect, but they're good enough and the overall experience is solid. Listen to "Southern Gate of the Sun" or "Sargon of Akkad."

Track Listing:
1. She is My Lazarus
2. Black Mother of the Lord of Light
3. Sargon of Akkad
4. Magnificent Desolation
5. We Are the End
6. My Lai
7. The Man that Never Was
8. Southern Gate of the Sun

Added: May 18th 2016
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band Website
Hits: 1640
Language: english

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