After the release of This Sceptered Veil back in 2022, it was apparent that the UK's Sergeant Thunderhoof was on to something and ready to take that next step into 'we're not just another 'stoner metal/doom band'. With The Ghost of Badon Hill, out now on Pale Wizard Records, the five-piece has written not only a concept album but an album full of instantly memorable songs layered with emotion and plenty of musical textures. Right from the start, "Badon" hits you with waves of atmosphere and emotion, and while yes, this is still 'metal', it's richly melodic and even, dare I say, progressive. "Blood and Moon" delivers the thunder we expect from the band, with big crushing riffs from Mark Sayer &Â Â Â Josh Gallop, but layered with lilting arpeggios and soaring vocal harmonies courtesy of Daniel Flitcroft, who is really coming into his own as a true star in the making. I'm getting some Anathema vibes here and there in the way they combine the potent musical attack with soundscapes and engaging vocal melodies. With only six tracks, the band lengthens up the arrangements, but the album itself is a clean 45 minutes, so it doesn't overstay its welcome even with most of the songs being between 6-10 minutes long. "The Orb of Octavia" floats and bobs in a sea of melancholy, the eventually heavy riffing kicks in just briefly before the listener is swept back into a trance thanks to Flitcroft's excellent vocals. Honestly, I think that Sergeant Thunderhoof do this sort of thing better than Pallbearer at this stage of the game.Â
"Salvation for the Soul" is a complete banger, memorable but heavy hitting with a killer riff and pounding drums from Darren Ashman, while "Sentinel" is probably the bleakest track on the album, hinting at some of the glory years of Alice in Chains, and containing a killer, emotional guitar solo. The album concludes with the nearly 11-minute "Beyond the Hill", another brooding piece that oozes with doom-laden guitars that are soaked in all sorts of textures and colors (imagine doom blended with early '70s Pink Floyd and Nektar) and a truly unforgettable vocal from Daniel. The best track on the album? Perhaps, but in reality, there isn't a weak one to be found here, and I can easily say that The Ghost of Badon Hill is an album that needs to be heard by those who like emotional metal and the more melodic side of doom.Â
Track Listing
1) Badon
2) Blood Moon
3) The Orb of Octavia
4) Salvation for the Soul
5) Sentinel
6) Beyond the Hill
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
