Review Summary: Traditional Doom Metal from San Francisco.
2013 is the year of the return of traditional doom metal. With Black Sabbath releasing a long awaited album with frontman Ozzy Osbourne and Orchid releasing their second album The Mouths Of Madness, this couldn't be better for Doom lovers. Orchid is still an underground band, building a bigger fanbase with every release and concerts they are giving. Originated in San Francisco, the band started in 2007 and have released a total of two records and three EP. One could easily mistake this band for a Black Sabbath cover band as their sound is greatly influenced by the metal pioneers.
Mouths Of Madness is a perfect opener for this album. It gives you a good preview of what to expect until the end of the LP: slow Doom riffs, Rocking guitars and a a great doomy vocal performance. Like Ozzy Osbourne, Theo Mindell is the perfect match for the sound the band is trying to achieve. All along the listen, we are gifted with headbanging riffs (Marching Dogs Of War) and stunning performance by all musicians. One notable highlight is Silent One, an over seven minute masterpiece that starts the same way Electric Funeral (Black Sabbath) did.
One could just say they are just doing what Sabbath did, and are adding nothing to the mix, that would be wrong. Orchid's touch on Traditional Doom comes in play in songs like Mountains Of Steel with a great piano solo. The production is definitely trying to recapture the old feelings of albums like Paranoid and Master Of Reality. This album is full of tasty solos and riffs from the guitars, bass, drums and some harmonica.
If Thirteen never made it to the stores, this would have definitely been the record of the year in the Metal genre. The band's fanbase is growing exponentially yet they are still unknown to many potential fans. The feeling you get from listening to this record is as close as you can get to listening to masterpieces like Black Sabbath Self Titled and Paranoid. Orchid is on its way to becoming one of the best Doom Metal band of today, and this albums proves it.
