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DOOM’S DAY
The Devil’s Eyes

PRC Music (2014)
Rating: 7/10

Canadian metallers Doom’s Day are somewhat of an unknown quantity within the metal realm, something which I find quite alarming considering their exhilarating brand of magical old school metal. With enough creepiness and weight, Doom’s Day should quickly get themselves recognised.

With occult metal very much flavour of the month and acts such as Ghost B.C. becoming household names, Doom’s Day dig a similar trench of eerie, goth-horror metal, albeit one which is heavier than Ghost B.C. The riffs are more in tune with Mercyful Fate and Black Sabbath, and are bolstered by a traditional metal influence too. Vocally, there is an air of the sinister from the chap who likes to call himself DooM. Imagine a peculiar mix of Rob Zombie and Papa Emeritus II.

The Devil’s Eyes is the second platter from this quartet. It’s one sprinkled with ghoulish delights throughout, all the while the metal remaining riff heavy and atmospheric – marrying the doom-laden qualities of, say, Candlemass, and even darker Metallica. There are eight tracks on offer here, and each one is as solid as the next. Instead of relying on gimmicks, Doom’s Day keep things relatively simple, but maintain a level of creepiness throughout without ever going over the top.

There’s no need for costume drama because the music speaks for itself, as the likes of opener ‘The Offering’ and the epic title track prove. Patrick Gauvin is a strong bassist and his fluency allows tracks such as ‘Crush The Cross’ rise above the mediocre; the track rumbles with thrashing menace, combining the greasy residue of Motörhead with Frank Breton’s fantastic guitar work.

With hordes of bands treading the same path, it’s important for some acts to be aware of their surroundings and to create something less dramatic but yet still effective within their framework. Doom’s Day are one of those bands which has taken 80s metal, and successfully melted it with modern dynamics. The overall feel is one of doom-laden quality, bolstered by the intense drumming qualities of Dominique Verreault.

Some may also find it unusual to hear a band injecting a dose of punk too, but this really works, giving this album an upbeat and go-go quality which was also evident on their 2012 debut opus The Unholy. The only real flaw is that the vocals can at times begin to grate, but because the music is often rewarding in its groove we can at times look past the negatives.

This is an enjoyable record that should appeal to anyone with a penchant for dark rock ’n’ roll and sinister metal. While it’s not up there with Danzig, Doom’s Day’s sophomore composition should entice a few decomposing spirits from their grave.

Neil Arnold

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