Doom over London 2016: the Saturday Sessions

Rumble

Sludge

I arrived at the Saturday Doom over London 2016 Session, on 26 March, to see the end of the King Goat (and admire the hood), followed by Eye of Solitude, who rumbled vocals with a magnificently slow, nosebleed- inducing bass rising to a fine double-time finale ('double-time' being relative and still splendidly slow). Though their second song was much the same. Torpor were quite interesting, a 3-piece with a more experimental sludge. Sea Bastard again mainly amazed by the tattoos on their guitarist, which however represented beasts of the sky, rather than the deep. Sea Buzzard, perhaps?


For Slabdragger, I thought I detected a riff from exposed guitars towards the end, but it was not confirmed; likewise Ataraxie entertained a dissonant three-guitar counterpoint at one point, which also failed to launch. I preferred Officium Triste, presenting a much fuller and more structured soundscape. Bossk brought an aimless though not exactly unpleasant instrumental, similar to the largely wordless Esoteric, who came dangerously close to drum and bass at some points. I found Hooded Menace heavy in a simple way, and largely uneventful. Moonspell closed with a theatrical presentation, at the poppy end of doom, a bit like Lacuna Coil but without such clear tunes or the Italian lady; although some think the Coil not that good either.