CHURCH
OF MISERY
'Minstrel Of Mourning'
(Razorback Recordings)
That things happen slowly, akin to the pace of the tunes played, is one of
the most used jokes in the world of doom metal. Yet even by those
standards the amount of time 'Minstrel Of Mourning' has taken
to finally see the light of the day is mind-blowing, as documented by
the extensive liner notes by both Stevo and Brett Fugate included in
the album's booklet. Yes, Stevo - the monster best known and
respected for his work in Impetigo, one of the most important
and cult bands EVER in the underground history. Undeniably, there are
some parts on these songs bearing resemblance to the classic that is
Impetigo's 'Horror Of The Zombies', which could hardly
be a surprise as both those albums have been written roughly at the
same time, yet we're talking a different beast here. Stevo switched
from bass to guitar, added the quite explanatory pseudonym "St.
Vitus" to his name and alongside the remaining three band
members created and recorded a doom album full of despair and mortal
dread. An album that sounds as good now as it would've sounded if
released back in 1993 - probably because the stench of death is
eternal and some of it is captured here by no-frills riffs and
tempos, interesting, sometimes rather bizarre, vocals and an overall
atmosphere much akin to the one of strolling through the graveyard on
a harsh November night. 'Minstrel Of Mourning' isn't
the type of album to give you a revelation, neither is the end-it-all
doom masterpiece but it's a good document of a band doing what's in
their hearts, as morbid as they might be, ahead of its time. Doom
fans and Impetigo
maniacs alike should pay attention to this. [8]
(Vladimir Petrov)
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