Album Review: Godthrymm - Projections
Reviewed by Rich Oliver
Hailing from Halifax in West Yorkshire, Godthrymm are a doom metal band who could be called the spiritual successor to the early 90’s doom metal of the UK and especially the Peaceville Three - Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride and Anathema. The band was formed by vocalist & guitarist Hamish Glencross (ex-My Dying Bride/ex-Vallenfyre/ex-Solstice) and drummer Shaun Taylor-Steels (ex-My Dying Bride/ex-Anathema) in 2017 so you already know the bands doom credentials are in check. You also have co-vocalist and keyboardist Catherine Glencross and bassist Bob Crolla and they are joined by second guitarist Kris McLaughlin who makes his first recorded appearance with the band.
“Projections” is the third album from the band and sees the band furthering their sound whilst retaining their doom aesthetics. The six songs which make up the album all have a nice mix of styles and influences present throughout and makes for a varied listening experience rather than being solid melancholic doom although there is still plenty of that. The album opens in ferocious style with the bludgeoning ‘Trenches Deep’ which although having a doom-laden backbone kicks things into gear in the song's second half and features guest vocals from Adie Bailey (ex-English Dogs) and Jay Walsh (Xentrix, Bull-Riff Stampede).
There are some epic doom leanings in ‘Truth In My Own’ which whilst being crushingly heavy also has huge melodies and a sprawling sound. The centrepiece of the album are the duo of ‘The Sun Never Fell’ and ‘Endure My Skin’ both being long monolithic tracks of melancholic doom goodness. ‘Endure The Skin’ is the gloomiest of the two and features the legendary Aaron Stainthorpe (High Parasite, ex-My Dying Bride) on guest vocals thus proving to be a reunion of former members of My Dying Bride. The last two songs on the album are the most varied of the bunch and see Catherine take the vocal lead. ‘Jewels’ is an at times ethereal and prog-influenced song which brings to mind a band such as Oceans Of Slumber and album closer ‘Hope Is Eternal’ continues the ethereal vocals but with a far grimmer musical assault.
Godthrymm have produced another fantastic album and probably their finest work to date. Though it very much channels the UK doom of the early 90s, there is far more going on throughout this album with multiple tones and moods. One thing that unites all these songs is the mournful and sombre feel which is the standard for this style of doom metal. If you like your music gloomy and morose then “Projections” comes very much recommended.
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