Vewy Good

Nation: United Kingdom

Album Genre: Doom Metal

Pros: This album, more than likely gave birth to modern doom metal. It has the sludgy riffs, bluesy and southern rock influences, and slow tempos that gather speed here and there that culminates just enough to make the listener yearn for more power and then it bottoms out into a pit of dispair. In combination with this old school influence, there is the death growl and death riffs thrown in here and there. This is NOT a pretty album by any stretch of the imagination. It takes a well tuned ear of heavy metal to appreciate this music. There is no melody, no catchy hooks, no anthems, no lyrics you can relate to...nothing. The only portion of this album that offers any melody and hope is the very beginning, and this is only to provide a contrast between what you are leaving behind, and the darkness that awaits you...it's a very powerful intro. And finally, there is the last track which offers a glint of hope with the same flute intro...however, after a flute/doom duet for the introduction to the song, it goes all out back into the doominess. Cathedral epitomizes anti-music with music that defies the definition of accepticality. In a way, Cathedral is more out there than death metal AND black metal just because doom metal such as this, is just so completely against the grain it makes you bleed. This stuff is unrelenting HEAVY metal with no hope of a brighter tune in the future (hence the name, doom metal). Black Sabbath kick started this genre of music in 1970 and Cathedral took it to another level. This album is not for the average listener. I would only recommend this type of music to people who can truly appreciate deeply moving sets of very unpleasant music (and if I get a goth kid coming up to me online saying they can appreciate this music because of their shitty lives and vampire-esque imagery, I'll laugh in their faces and give them a Cradle of Filth album).

Cons: As much as I can appreciate this album, it's still hard for even me to listen to very often just because it is so anti-climactic where it leaves you wanting something more out of the music. To really enjoy this, you need to sit and listen intently and absorb it for what it is. This is definitely not driving music, that's for sure!