On first listen, Doomstress brings the feels of local Doom purveyors Second Grave (RIP but you can check out new offshoot Benthic Realm, featuring SG vocalist Krista Van Guilder, here) and modern Ghost. Meaning you get bravado alongside the Black Sabbath. Comparisons aside, Doomstress simply rawk.
Hailing from the Lone Star State, the gloomy quartet conjure up some interesting musical textures on their Ripple Music debut beginning with “Bitter Plea” which mixes desert rawk into the gloom to create a genre unto itself. Desert Doom anyone?
“Dreaming Spider” is just gorgeous with Brandon Johnson’s guitar work weaving intricate tales of wonder one minute then riff ragin’ the next as Tomasz Scull subtly builds to those grand moments while Doomstress Alexis (Not a typo, she is billed as “Doomstress Alexis”, and who are we to argue with that?) croons. “Your God Is Blind” is a new Doom anthem with swirling guitar solos reminiscent of Tony Iommi’s finest work while “Bones And Rust” is that good stuff that causes the slow head bob while you’re listening. Doomstress Alexis sounds particularly mystifying during this jam with a vocal quiver during the chorus that’s truly exquisite as Scull lays down the shambolic cymbal excellence straight into this epic conclusion.
“Apathetic Existence” has a “Black Sabbath” air to it if fronted by Ann Wilson and, like that aforementioned classic opening track, goes off the rails in a delightfully unexpected way after a particularly spooky laugh from Alexis. Doomstress Alexis lets her bass do the talking on the title track as her outward instrument solemnly rumbles on to herald the beginning of the inevitable conclusion which hums while building to a sonic showdown.
Sleep Among the Dead is out on May 10th through Ripple Music. You can pre-order your copy by clicking here. For the latest on Doomstress, head here.