Ethereal Tomb are the first socially engaged Doom Metal band we receive here with lyrics and iconography related to an enviromental agenda. There are lots of Atmospheric Black Metal bands which use the thematic, but as far as I know, no Doom Metal. The album commences with a speech on themes that we rarely have in Metal bands lyrics. To Ethereal Tomb the dark is not only related to the occult. For them the dark is related to what humankind does with the planet, and, mostly, to what we do to each other. Nothing scares more than the fear of a nuclear warfare, the climate changes, the raise of the far right, or the mass extiction that are haunting us. From where I’m standing, these subjects scare the hell of me more than the occult. They are heavy enough. The vocals full of anguish and grief reflect this eerie mood as no other could being a perfect match.
I’d like to write here an excert of the initial speech called “Face the Facts” to my dear child of the night understand what Ethereal Tomb stand for:
“There insane people who wish to rule the world
They wish to continue to rule the world by violence and repression
We are all victims of that violence and repression
They’re going to become more repressive
[…]
But it is not power
They may have all the guns”
And it goes on…
All of this with the characteristic Doom Metal shoegazed and well-punched guitars and the slow, but fierce drumming. “When the Rivers Dry” is a cry out to all who are awake to the changes we’re facing. Not ony awake, but also watchfull. The thing is that the changes are far faster than the music Ethereal Tomb perform here. They are massive. They are coming to us all. Tittle track is not about a dystopic future, but the future we’re building right now.
Musicwise, Ethereal Tomb rely on thick tonal guitars with strummings here and there to create the atmosphere of emotion and chaos the band desires to pass the fan. “Born into Pain” is about all the emotion and chaos. On the other hand, “When the Rivers Dry” is like a slow torture only Doom Metal bands know how to bring to life.
This is an album to the ones that appreciate a positive social agenda. It’s not only the music, it’s also the attitude that matters even more. A big hail to the restless and wild.
Ethereal Tomb “When the Rivers Dry” will be released on September 01st via Black Throne Productions.
Track Listing:
- Face the Facts
- When the Rivers Dry
- Born into Pain
- Victim Mentality
- Save the Man
- Reclamation
- Pure Radiant Energy
- The Sufference of Mourning
Watch “Victim Mentality” official lyric video here:
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