Album Details

• Artist: Electric Wizard
• Album: Black Masses
• Label: Rise Above
• Year of Release: 2011
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: patchen on 2011-02-07

Seven records in, Electric Wizard keep the Sabbath flag waving more than almost any Doom metal band. "Black Masses" is therefore heavy, muddy, hypnotic and full of lyrics that are kinda silly, but who cares when the music is so overhwleming?

Guitarists Jus Osborn and Liz Buckingham keep it simple but immense. The riffs, especially on the ridiculously heavy "Venus in Furs," groove and sustain, loaded with distortion but also funk. New bassist Tas Danazoglou and drummer Shaun Rutter keep pace as they can, maintaining a hard bottom for the guitar heroics. "Patterns of Evil," "Turn Off Your Mind" and the title track add a bit of punk as well to the wall of grue, while "Satyr IX" and "The Nightchild" seem a little short in inspiration. Not so the finale, the epic "Crypt of Druglua," complete with sound effects. At times the tune is almost ambient, or a formless mass of sound unlike the rest of the record. It's a cool experiment that works.

While what will echo through your head the most from listening to "Black Masses" will be the first couple of songs, Electric Wizard deliver another winner, full of their usual brew plus extra risks that show a band still vital and yet to peak.

User Reviews and Comments

on 2011-02-20 SolitaryMan Said:

Gonna have to check this one out. Nice review, patch. EW are damn near the closest thing we have nowadays to that Sabbath vibe.
Not Rated