Serpent Venom
Of Things Seen and Unseen
The Church Within Records
2014
When The Church Within Records releases something new it’s safe to assume that it is going to be a doom album, especially if you see the words Serpent Venom printed on the cover. This London-based band’s sound can be best described as a mixture of Pentagram, Sleep and Saint Vitus. Serpent Venom stirred things with their debut album “Carnal Altar” (2010), and their follow-up, “Of Things Seen and Unseen” is no disappointment too.
The album kicks off with “The Penance You Pay”. Even if you’ve never heard another song by Serpent Venom, you know exactly what to expect; a slow, heavy and powerful guitar riff, a bone crushing baseline, loud drumming and a voice that seems to be coming from very far away. By the end of “The Penance You Pay” the mood is set for what’s to follow, a loud doom metal record true to the Tony Iommi legacy.
The only surprise throughout the entire album would most definitely have to be “I Awake” which is a 1:14 acoustic guitar jam. Some might say this track is mismatched with the vibe of the rest of the recording, but I quite enjoyed it. And another thing, I don’t know if they intended for the guitar player’s breathing to be audible or that was a mistake, but either way that breathing is a great touch. As for the album’s highlights, my personal favourite tracks are “The Lords of Life” (because of its blues-rock break right before the end), and “Burning Free” (because of the extraordinary guitar solos and because the song kicks ass and generally rules).
That’s pretty much all there is to it. “Of Things Seen and Unseen” is a tight doom metal record which the fans of the genre will enjoy. On the other hand, if you’re not a fan, I seriously doubt this record will change your mind.
The album kicks off with “The Penance You Pay”. Even if you’ve never heard another song by Serpent Venom, you know exactly what to expect; a slow, heavy and powerful guitar riff, a bone crushing baseline, loud drumming and a voice that seems to be coming from very far away. By the end of “The Penance You Pay” the mood is set for what’s to follow, a loud doom metal record true to the Tony Iommi legacy.
The only surprise throughout the entire album would most definitely have to be “I Awake” which is a 1:14 acoustic guitar jam. Some might say this track is mismatched with the vibe of the rest of the recording, but I quite enjoyed it. And another thing, I don’t know if they intended for the guitar player’s breathing to be audible or that was a mistake, but either way that breathing is a great touch. As for the album’s highlights, my personal favourite tracks are “The Lords of Life” (because of its blues-rock break right before the end), and “Burning Free” (because of the extraordinary guitar solos and because the song kicks ass and generally rules).
That’s pretty much all there is to it. “Of Things Seen and Unseen” is a tight doom metal record which the fans of the genre will enjoy. On the other hand, if you’re not a fan, I seriously doubt this record will change your mind.