Release date: 27th March 2020
After first coming across Solothus at a live show put on by our friends at Deathwave, and being very impressed by their emotive brand of beautifully heavy death/doom, I’ve kept an eye on them ever since. 2020 sees the band returning with their third full-length album, Realm Of Ash & Blood, and it’s their strongest release yet.
Realm Of Ash & Blood is crushingly heavy and moves slowly, allowing the listener to take in every element of the piece. Admittedly it does lack a bit of momentum at times as a result of this, but this is only a minor and nit-picking complaint in the grand scheme of things – this is a doom album after all, not a speed metal one!
There are plenty of stunning moments on the album and a particular highlight is fifth track Below Black Waters. The balance between lush melodies and crushing heaviness is just right, showcasing both sides of the band’s sound, and the low, deep vocals sit perfectly atop of the instrumentation, contrasting against the more melodic moments perfectly.
Solothus have done well with Realm Of Ash & Blood – hopefully when all this nonsense is over, I’ll be able to witness their live majesty once more.
8/10
