Black Oath – Emeth Truth And Death

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BLACK OATH is an Italian doom metal band who formed in 2006. "Emeth Truth and Death," is their fifth full length album; they have also released four EPs, three splits, a demo, live album and one compilation. The band's sound seems to be steeped in the mystical and Occult but musically they are actually rather melodic.  This is doom and the album is plenty heavy with big riffs but the band has a handle on how to fuse melodic tendencies into their heavy sound. It makes the songs catchy but also adds a shroud of mystery to them as well.

The production is bright and loud, capturing every little detail and allowing the riffs to change. It is hard to complain about an album sounding so professional but that same shiny sound however is a bit much—I think their sound would benefit from a grittier approach. But in the end, it is the songs that matter and every song on the album is a banger with a hook that pulls me in. The album begins with the intro "Emeth." This is a short but sweet representation of the album that introduces the band's desire for big riffs and intricate melodies. That idea extends to the opening moments of "Truth and Death," where a double whammy of massive rhythms are wrapped up in warm melodies. The vocals are clean, well spoken, and responsible for much the song's catchy nature.  It is impressive how the melodic parts drift in and out of the songs. The way the dark and light intertwines together gives the song a feeling of expansiveness. The riffs in the mid section, complete with the clean vocal chants, is appropriately epic but keeps from being corny or being too far removed from the song.

"Shroud To The Afterlife," is a slow burn and covered by a hazy veil of wonderful clean vocals. I don't know who sings on this track but she should much more presence on the album. The riffs are inspired by old school doom but take modern approach, a heavy contrast to the cleans but all of it dynamic. The drums in particular compliment the atmosphere well. The final track, "Wounded Temple," is definitely the album's epic. The song opens with lead work that rides on top of the doom undercurrent, with the bass guitar sending out shock wave that ride the current towards a more mid paced gallop.

The music tells the story alongside the lyrics, thus the vocals and instrumentation making good bed fellows. Around the 6:00 mark, the rhythm takes on a melodic wrought during the leads showcase. The shredding being backed up by the thunderous doom sounds monumental. All in all, "Emeth Truth and Death" is a hell of a solid album with doom for days and a ton of replay value.

Songwriting: 8
Musicianship: 8
Memorability: 8
Production: 8