The first song, "Look Where She Lies" is a kind of continuation of great composition "Asleep On Her Grave" from EP "Songs On The Grave Side”, it reveals new details of that story not only with lyrics but also with more saturated instrumental parts and arrangements. Hats off – new stuff sounds skillfully, intriguingly and very attractive for fans of qualitative traditional doom metal with it’s famous epic and melancholic vibe. And yet it doesn’t have overabundance of pathos, but I would point out the elements of a stoic heroism and restrained grief. Kevin Lawry got a lot of experience while was playing guitar in Silent Winter and Crowned In Earth, so he perfectly copes with assigned duties creating atmosphere of god-forsaken corners of Albion, vocal lines of Adam Robinson didn’t lost their gloomy solemnity and power as he chants and declaim his poetic verses. This composition keeps a perfect spirit of “English doom” as it should be, so I see this track as a good expression of that grim and austere beauty due to ideal teamwork of band’s crew. And so Khthon passes from moderate mourning of first track straight to mid-tempo mystical opus "The Wanderer Above The Sea of Fog" which music and lyrics were written under the impression of the painting by German artist Caspar David Friedrich. Doom metal traditions sound aloud all through entire track, and I couldn’t imagine if something like this may be born outside England, yes, old good England (if it ever existed) is embodied in this song as if it was the birthplace of true doom metal. Guitars have less ponderous, yet more dynamical and quite progressive vibe, and misty sound-scape of Khthon looks haunting and tempting, but here we have one serious problem - that is last song onto album.
Duration of "Above The Fog" is the only negative aspect of release, but when you take into account the information that band are sitting tight in the studio, modifying the material for their first full-length album, it is hoped that this time they will make out quickly and keep their current mood. Both songs are so damn good, that all I could wish for, it's a real big release from Khthon. Listening Khthon I feel a strong need to get out in a park with book of Samuel Coleridge’s poems and a bottle of St.Peter’s ale. Yet there’s only last bottle of rum in my bar, well, it’s a good option too. Good night!
Words: Aleks Evdokimov
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