The well-known Japanese stoner metal/doom band Church Of Misery came out with a new album recently. Church Of Misery albums always tend to build up a lot of expectation before their ultimate release, and so was the case with this particular album as well. The album surely did not disappoint as it packs some fine stoner rock/stoner metal in the usual awesome bluesy key of Church of Misery. Then again the album also does not perhaps rise to the levels of their many earlier albums like ''Houses of the Unholy''. Nevertheless it is a completely fine stoner metal album, and well worth a listen.
The album starts of with a track titled ''The Hell Benders'' and this song with its heavy stoner riffage essentially follows the earlier feel of Church Of Misery, while also having a feel of Eyehategod and Bongzilla in ways. The second track ''Make Them Die Slowly'' has a similar, but a more upbeat stoner feel to it. In the usual murderous upbeat heavy sludgy blues sense of Church Of Misery of course. This is however accompanied by some fine stoner repetition as well in parts. The same can essentially be said about ''Doctor Death'', as it also packs some fine stoner metal riffage in the usual Church of Misery key. Actually the very same thing can be said about most of the tracks on this album. One of the more interesting tracks is perhaps ''Murderfreak Blues'', which packs some pretty awesome slow stoner and doom riffage, and a catchy almost krautrock like repeptitive heavy stoner riff in the end. A really great track.
All in all the album is consistently good in a usual expected sense of Church of Misery. Yet something seems to be missing. The tracks are all filled with fine sludgy and bluesy stoner metal riffs, yet they don't quite ascend to the greatness of ''Houses of The Unholy'' and other earlier albums.
Some related links:
Full album on youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_HkcgbD1_E
Discogs - https://www.discogs.com/Church-Of-Misery-And-Then-There-Were-None/master/966997
