Another great release from PsycheDOOMelic records. WALL OF SLEEP is a band risen from the ashes of Hungary's first ever doom metal band MOOD (yes, that's doom spelled backwards) and "Slow But Not Dead" is their first full-length album. As with most doom, this band's main inspirations are pretty obvious: BLACK SABBATH, THE OBSESSED (and other Wino-related bands) and TROUBLE. But there's a few things that make this band quite unique.

First it's the rhythm section. I don't know if it's just the band or also the production but the drums sound HUGE. See if you can keep your head still while playing pounding tracks like "Sysyphus", "Downhill Ride" or "The Very Same". I'll bet you can't!! The second thing is lead singer Holdampf Gabor's frightening wail. He almost sounds like Messiah Marcolin's evil cousin. The riffs are great as well, with occasionally some nice TROUBLE-esque twin guitar. Everyone who claims doom is nothing more than playing just a few droning chords should give this album a listen.

What's also nice is that WALL OF SLEEP doesn't feel it always necessary to stay within the somewhat limited doom boundaries. "That's Why" is a furious up tempo rocker that almost sounds like something by early KILLING JOKE. "0050" borders on a country-ish guitar intermezzo and the acoustic verses of "Inside Garden" give it kind of an old-fashioned bluesy hard rock feel. Doom purists need not be scared off by this because the general atmosphere on this record is still one of hopelessness and despair. And for some reason...anger. I don't know if this last bit is correct, since the lyrics are very cryptic, but Holdampf Gabsr's furious howl combined with the utter heaviness of the music sometimes give me the feeling they're seriously pissed off about something. Maybe it's living in Hungary?

Anyway, a worthy addition to the doom genre and an essential purchase for lovers of the truly heavy.

- Van Hoften

OFFICIAL SITE: www.wallofsleep.net

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