The Doctor Has Arrived

Doctor Smoke ~ The Witching Hour (2014)

Another album that I'm thinking everyone had fairly high expectations for, is the latest release from Ohio's fearsome foursome Doctor Smoke, called "The Witching Hour". And even with it being almost the end of the year, the doctor has put down a hellacious slab of doomy, Heavy Rock that stands out from the crowd of similar albums that came out this year, and there were many. One thing they do very well, beside catchy vocal melodies, are guitar solos. If the power of the riff compels them, the power of the solo forces their hand at gun point. Of the nine tracks that make up "The Witching Hour", the third on the album "Evil Man", was my star track. You know the tired old bit about music 'speaking' to you? Well, this one slapped me, and commanded me to pay better attention on my first listen. Opening up with a spontaneous torrent of sound, the band jumps right into it and put down an all too fitting groove, with the guitar being sure to howl it's hard edged Doom riffs. A little after the one minute mark the song switches up some, and the bass thumps and rumbles along, but the drums slow up just a bit and the guitar stops riffing and slowly plays a long when the vocals first make their menacing first appearance, along with the addictive melody that comes with it, the sort that makes you want to sing a long every time you hear it. While this lasts for a while, the guitar solo cranks up around the five minute mark, and shatters everything that you thought you once knew about the song. While CDs are already out at their bandcamp (people outside the US should use Totem Cat Records, to save on shipping), the vinyl is slated to be released sometime early next year. So, go get your smoke, and drink, and whatever else you'd like, then come pay the good Doctor Smoke a visit.
~Skip

For Fans Of; Graveyard, Black Sabbath, Pentagram

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