HEAD OF THE DEMON — Head of the Demon (review)

HEAD OF THE DEMON — Head of the Demon album cover Album · 2013 · Doom Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Time Signature
By titan hand...

Genre: psychedelic doom metal

The juxtaposition of the labels "psychedelic" and "doom" will typically make people think of bong-worshipping stoner doom acts, but doom metal can definitely be psychedelic without necessarily being stoner doom. The Swedish act Head of the Demon's eponymous debut teaches us that lesson.

Featuring twangy guitars - not unlike what you hear on Graveyard's albums - and heavy doom-laden drum beats, Head of the Demon's music sounds really occult, capturing the doom and gloom of early doom metal bands. The semi-harsh reverb-laden vocals and cold guitar production makes the album sound very bleak and, well, very creepy. The band's references to dark Scandinavian psychedelia (Alrune Rod comes to mind) does not exactly make the album uplifting at all.

This is an atmosphere which suits the lyrics perfectly, which deal with Lovecraftian themes of Great Ancient Ones and unspeakable horrors lurking in the dark.

A prime slab of rather original occult doom metal, Head of the Demon's debut is dark, bleak and creepy, and belongs in any doom metal collection.
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