Musical Ramblings: A history in metal
I'm gonna try and send in the odd classic review to the Interrobang because as I listen to some of the newest CDs, I think to myself about all you people out there that have missed some good metal albums. Because of the sludgy nature/tone of the guitars in this week's review (Gojira's “From Mars to Sirius”) and the comparison I made to Cathedral, I thought I'd look back on Cathedral's opus “The Ethereal Mirror.”
When people think about Doom metal, Black Sabbath immediately comes to mind. I mean, they pioneered heavy metal in general, but the whole doom/gloom aspect that's affiliated with metal also had its roots with Black Sabbath. There are many bands that have tried to copy or improve on this formula, but besides the gothic/doom sound of the great Type O Negative, one other band can actually be credited for taking this genre of music to the next level: Cathedral.
This album was released in 1993 on the Columbia/Earache label that signed many awesome metal bands back in the early 90's when music seemed like it was getting back into supporting diversity and different genres of music…not just radio rock or pop.
Lee Dorrian, front man, was previously a member of Napalm Death (a band that I could never get into in any incarnation). Dorrian and company developed their sluggish doom sound over the course of a few EPs and albums before “The Ethereal Mirror,” but it wasn't until the release of this epic monster and their videos for “Ride” and “Midnight Mountain” that the band started getting the exposure that they deserved.
The aforementioned songs are two of the standout songs on the CD. “Enter The Worms” probably has some of the heaviest sounding guitars ever captured. “Imprisoned In Flesh” shows a softer side of Cathedral but also the diversity in their songwriting by being able to take something that sounds so peaceful and turn it around midway and shove it back up your ass (a crazy description, but one listen will back up the comment). Their constant tempo changes and straightforward grooves make the album even more a treat to listen to.
By the mid-nineties, Columbia decided to drop many of their metal acts and the mainstream push that lasted about a year for Cathedral ceased to exist. That didn't mean the band disappeared. Some of Cathedral's other releases proved that they had what it took to keep developing their sound, song structure and overall gloom. Some may say that their later releases kick the crap out of “The Ethereal Mirror,” but this release just has a special place in my heart and every single song on this disc is a monster worth playing over and over again.
When people think about Doom metal, Black Sabbath immediately comes to mind. I mean, they pioneered heavy metal in general, but the whole doom/gloom aspect that's affiliated with metal also had its roots with Black Sabbath. There are many bands that have tried to copy or improve on this formula, but besides the gothic/doom sound of the great Type O Negative, one other band can actually be credited for taking this genre of music to the next level: Cathedral.
This album was released in 1993 on the Columbia/Earache label that signed many awesome metal bands back in the early 90's when music seemed like it was getting back into supporting diversity and different genres of music…not just radio rock or pop.
Lee Dorrian, front man, was previously a member of Napalm Death (a band that I could never get into in any incarnation). Dorrian and company developed their sluggish doom sound over the course of a few EPs and albums before “The Ethereal Mirror,” but it wasn't until the release of this epic monster and their videos for “Ride” and “Midnight Mountain” that the band started getting the exposure that they deserved.
The aforementioned songs are two of the standout songs on the CD. “Enter The Worms” probably has some of the heaviest sounding guitars ever captured. “Imprisoned In Flesh” shows a softer side of Cathedral but also the diversity in their songwriting by being able to take something that sounds so peaceful and turn it around midway and shove it back up your ass (a crazy description, but one listen will back up the comment). Their constant tempo changes and straightforward grooves make the album even more a treat to listen to.
By the mid-nineties, Columbia decided to drop many of their metal acts and the mainstream push that lasted about a year for Cathedral ceased to exist. That didn't mean the band disappeared. Some of Cathedral's other releases proved that they had what it took to keep developing their sound, song structure and overall gloom. Some may say that their later releases kick the crap out of “The Ethereal Mirror,” but this release just has a special place in my heart and every single song on this disc is a monster worth playing over and over again.
