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WARPRIEST
Gloombreaker

Self-released (2024)
Rating: 3/10

Featuring the husband and wife team of Robert and Elis Wilson, Warpriest – driven by a drum machine – is an unimpressive result of someone doodling around on a software application to create “music”. Firstly, the production is tepid, but above all the whole thing is so amateurishly constructed, especially with the tedious drum machine and Robert’s shocking vocal performance. Thankfully, he shares the vocals with Elis, but she isn’t much better, especially when she veers out of the lower tones.

Everything about this third full-length offering from the Atlanta, Georgia-based band is cheap and derivative, dull and childish as the duo plods through various Candlemass imitations, all the while trying to look and sound serious and stormy.

Lead single ‘Dogs Of Doom’ is cringeworthy (especially the video); seven minutes of dreary doom aping where Elis attempts to convince us that “You’re nervous! And anxious! And fearful of death,” but in all honesty death can’t come quick enough. Meanwhile, ‘Spell Of The Grey Sorcerer’ is a loathsome ten-minute slog which had me staring at the wall to watch the paint dry. “The heart becomes so numb when pain is all its feeling,” Robert croons, and I know the feeling. ‘Waters Of The Damned’ follows suit and I find myself skipping through the mismatch of layers and awkwardness.

I’m sure Warpriest are making a genuine attempt at crafting a traditional doom metal album, but this is just insubstantial and unconvincing and it’s not even their first album! Avoid.

Neil Arnold

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