(Doom) EYE OF DOOM - Curse of the Pharaoh EP review

Release date September 25, 2020 (Bandcamp)

Out of the beautiful locale of Vancouver, British Columbia comes Eye Of Doom, purveyors of progressive doom sporting their sophomore EP Curse of the Pharaoh. Containing three tracks tracking in at over twenty-one minutes, there's lots to chew on when imbibing this impressive outing.

The eight and a half minute title-track opener sets the table, initiating with a foreboding instrumental passage, before exploding into a huge Sabbath-arian riff with an exotic Egyptian twist, complete with psychedelic clean vocals. Taking you to the pyramids as depicted in the cover art, you're suddenly jarred back to reality by a change in riff at the six-plus minute mark, upping the tempo for a thundering conclusion. The subsequent "The Waning" is an ominous instrumental passage with spoken word segments (from a movie?) providing a two minute respite for the listener. "Scold's Bride" then brings the package to a close, initiated by yet another crushing doom riff, before taking a progressive sidestep. The switch to beautiful acoustic guitar, mixed with an elephantine riff and fantastic lead guitar work, elevates the track, while ensuring that it stays firmly in the doom realm. Think Black Sabbath going Pink Floyd and you'll be in the correct sandlot.

What's even more impressive than the three individual tracks is the way the band presents them as one twenty-one minute song, no breaks between the tracks. Not being one that usually enjoys and partakes in many elongated songs finding most to be excessive and repetitive, Eye of Doom on the other hand has concocted a sumptuous progressive doom track/EP that had me engrossed the whole way through.

Take a trip to the land of the pharaohs ... on a budget!

(8.5)