Doom Metal in its Purest Form

Electric Wizard’s ninth studio release Wizard Bloody Wizard is yet another example that the doom metal movement that started in England during the ’60s is still alive and thriving. The crunchy guitar tones with their bluesy twang complement the drawn out wailing vocals exceptionally and exemplify what doom metal is in its purest form.

The psychedelic undertones of the music become apparent almost immediately, starting with the first track “See You In Hell” and persisting throughout the release. The aforementioned track is a smorgasbord of different styles converging in one place where the blues, heavy metal, ’60s psychedelic rock, and good ol’ British tube overdrive paint a picture that invokes imagery of The Doors, BB King, and Black Sabbath coming together to share a studio. The minute details are what stand out the most, however, the pick slides and feedback loops in the background with the rest of the ambiance add an additional level of depth to an already satisfying composition.

What the guitar work lacks in intricacy, it makes up for in character and infectious rhythms. This sense of infectivity is fully realized on the nine minute epic “Hear The Sirens Scream” in a way that grabs the listener’s attention immediately and doesn’t relent through the many changes in tempo, rhythm, and vocal cadence in a way that one loses sense of the time that elapsed during the song.

As a whole, Wizard Bloody Wizard is an incredibly rich and vibrant canvas that is painted slowly and carefully with sound as a Rembrandt is painted with a brush. Though it may not be pleasing to everyone’s ear, it is intriguing and sublime to nearly any wandering ear that should catch its tune. It is also an excellent piece to simply pass the time with, whether by simply closing one’s eyes and going with the flow of the music or by other means that transcend the boundaries between mind and body that were customary during the decade that birthed what we know today as doom or stoner metal.