Alunah - Solennial

This is the sort of album that just shouldn’t exist in 2017, as its roots are so firmly entrenched in the early Seventies that it is quite hard to realise that this was only released this year. Hailing from Birmingham (it would be hard to think of them coming from anywhere else to be honest), these guys have been more than a little inspired by Sabbath, the major difference being that in Sophie Day they have a female singer who knows exactly what is needed for the music. No screaming high pitched soprano classically trained style here, but instead someone who knows instinctively what is needed for each song, whether that be a lower contralto or a voice that is full of innocence and loss. It is the use of atmosphere that definitely makes this, their fourth, album stand out. The riffs are solid slabs, but sometimes they can be too repetitive even for this style of retro doom, but Sophie and her presence always manages to turn it into something quite special. It is an incredibly immediate album, and quite melodic, two things that I don’t normally associate with this style of metal. This is an impressive album, one that has been making regular returns to my player since I came across it, and I am sure that all those into doom will feel that same way. Well worth investigating, https://www.svartrecords.com