Don’t Sleep on The Skull

Starting a band out of the ashes of another is a very difficult task to take on. Especially when that band is loved by both critics and fans a like. To that end most bands that spawn out of other bands tend to be different than their predecessor so as not to get confused with the new project. Then there is the Skull.

Featuring members of the now defunct metal act Trouble, the Skull features three members of the legendary doom act and the appearance of Matt Goldsborough, who comes from the one and only Pentagram. Super group would be a more apt description for the Skull but this project deserves its independence from its members past.

Their debut album Those Which Are Asleep is another great addition to the doom metal releases this year. The doom/stoner/sludge team of all-stars have put out a strong debut, which is foreshadowing a pretty great career from these dudes.

The first song on Those Which Are Asleep, “Trapped Inside My Mind,” is exactly the tune you would expect it to be. Slow grooving with loud guitars, (which by the way sound INCREDIBLE) pulling us into an almost Sabbath-like chorus.  Eric Wagner is definitely doing his best Ozzy impression here. It sounds great, like the rest of this record, and totally works. Which leads to my next point.

The production on this record is flawless. It sounds so big. Like a bison doing a cannon ball into a kiddie pool. Huge. Back to the album…

The second song on the album, “The Touch of Reality,” is another groove oriented tune.  Bluesy and dark it sounds like a blues jam got heavy. The solo put down by Matt on this song is incredible and worth the listen. His work in on this album is intricate and complex but is tasteful to most of the songs on the album.

“Sick of it All”, the third song on For Those Which Are Asleep, is another great tune. Starts off a bit slower than the rest but by the time one reaches the middle of the song it really chugs along.  Building up to a crescendo ending the bridge section of this tune really does all the heavy lifting so to speak.

Overall these experienced musicians have put out an extremely good debut album with For Those Which Are Asleep. Although it is exactly what you would expect if these musicians got together – not to say it’s not its own release or that the sentiment is a bad thing – just that these musicians weren’t going to push the envelope. They were going to make the doom metal they have been making for years which is actually really refreshing. They’re doing what they do, and doing it well.  They’re just checking a to see who’s asleep, which is what you shouldn’t do on the Skulls watch.