Lamassu ‘Into The Empty’
Album Review By Adam McCann
Independent Release/Doom Metal/Stoner
Recently formed from the Australian doom and stoner scene, featuring members of Motherslug and Field, Lamassu have been beavering away to deliver their debut album ‘Into The Empty’.
This album has been written whilst the creative juices and honeymoon period of a new band have been at their pinnacle and therefore this gives the ‘Into The Empty’ a sparse, live feel, showing the band at their most primal, doing what they do best. What can be here are sludging riffs, memorable melodies and powerful vocals. It is these vocals which make Lamassu stand clear above their peers, Chris Fisher has the golden larynx of Chris Cornell, reaching those scratching high notes with ease particularly seen on ‘Killing Someone’ and the monstrous track ‘Control’. When coupled with this voice, the heavy descending riffs and odd signatures bring all the joy of ‘Louder Than Love’/’Badmotorfinger’ era Soundgarden. Furthermore, whilst there are still touches of doom here, with plenty of love for Electric Wizard and Sleep, there is also a sound of Alice In Chains as once again, Fisher joins forces with some beautiful melancholic harmonies which would not be out of place on ‘Alice In Chains’, particularly with Matt Dawkins’ wah-wah riffs during ‘Flow’.
‘Into The Empty’ is a great place for Lamassu to start, it keeps one foot firmly in the bands doom roots, but also spreads out with a grungy alternative feel that gives this album plenty of appeal.
Rating : 80/100
MHF Magazine/Adam McCann
