Time Signature
Dark world...
Genre: doom metal
Wino Weinreich had left Saint Vitus prior to the recording of "C.O.D.", and ex-Count Raven vocalist (and later Lord Vicar frontman) Christian Lindersson handled vocal duties on that album. For "Die Healing", Saint Vitus re-recruited their original vocalist Scott Reagers. While "Born Too Late" is probably the most famour Saint Vitus album, "Die Healing" is often held to be their best album of all time. Perhaps that is why it was reissued earlier this year on the band's current label Season of Mist.
Upping virtually every aspect of what defines Saint Vitus' sound, the band delivers some of their most oppressive, desolate, and minimalistic music to date (perhaps only matched by "Lillie: F-65" from 2011). The aptly titled 'Let the End Begin' is the epitome of what makes good doom metal and is, or definitely deserves to be, a doom metal classic. The ultra-minimalistic 'Sloth' combines simplicity and noise to generate a haunting auditive darkness, while the super simple riffs of 'Dark World' and 'Return of the Zombie' are downright creepy.
Musically, the album - true to the identity of Saint Vitus - combines minimalism and guitar noise. Reagers' insane vocals are in stark contrast with both Wino's and Lindersson's singing styles. Reagers packs desparation, aggression and pure madness into his singing style, which is particularly highlighted in 'In the Asylum'.
"Die Healing" is a doom metal classic and probably one of the most important albums within the genre of doom metal in its entirety. All doom metal fans should take advantage of Season of Mist's reissuing of this album and purchase it right away.