Semlah – Semlah

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Semlah are a Swedish doom metal band in the fine traditions of Candlemass, Warning and Count Raven (i.e. not mind-numbingly slow, with clean vocals) featuring former Count Raven bassist Tommy Wilbur, and this is their debut album following a couple of demos in 2001 and 2004. They sound most like Candlemass, but with elements of both Nevermore and a little ’80s NWOBHM, although Joleni’s vocals aren’t as vicious as Warrel Danes, and not as sombre as Robert Lowe’s (they could be likened to a less operatic Messiah Marcolin, though). In actual fact, this edges Candlemass’s excellent new album for doom release of the year so far. Every track, without exception, contains excellent epic-doom riffs, lead guitar and singing with plenty of variation from crushingly heavy (Frayed Wings) to beautifully downbeat acoustic (a brilliant Perennial Movement II), the obligatory ominous acoustic intros here and there and some intriguingly obscure song titles (Manifestations Obscure, Path of A Waning Moon) that Reverend Bizarre would be proud of. Semlah have delivered the complete epic doom metal record in the vein of others, but entirely of their own making.

Written by Andy Lye
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