THE GATES OF SLUMBER · The Gates of Slumber | BLACK LP

Black vinyl, insert.

Background information about 'The Gates of Slumber'

Indiana's doom metal titans The Gates of Slumber are back, and man, does it feel good to have them around again. After calling it quits in 2014 following the tragic death of longtime bassist Jason McCash, Karl Simon resurrected the beast in 2019 for Hell Over Hammaburg — and thank the metal gods he did. What started as a reunion to relearn old songs quickly sparked something new, something hungry, and the result is this self-titled sixth album, their first full-length since 2011's The Wretch.

From the moment the needle drops, you know exactly where you are: in the hands of masters who worship at the altar of Saint Vitus and Penance but never sound like mere copyists. The riffs are colossal, the kind that make you want to slow your walk to a crawl and nod your head until your neck gives out. Tracks like We Are Perdition and Full Moon Fever are straight-up bangers, while the ominous The Fog channels John Carpenter's creeping dread through a wall of amplifiers. And then there's The Plague — lyrically steeped in the Black Death, it's as heavy as the name suggests, a suffocating slab of true doom that reminds you why this band was once called "one of the best heavy metal bands in the world" by Decibel Magazine. With Chuck Brown on drums and Steve Janiak on bass, the rhythm section is locked in tight, giving Simon's riffs and world-weary vocals the foundation they deserve.

For fans of:
Saint Vitus, Penance, Reverend Bizarre, Cathedral, Candlemass

Other Versions

DIGIPAK CD · 8,99 € TRANSPARENT BLUE LP · 26,99 €

Track listing

A1. Embrace the Lie
A2. We Are Perdition
A3. Full Moon Fever
B1. At Dawn
B2. The Fog
B3. The Plague

Manufacturer: Oy Svart Musik Ab, Saippua Center, Ruissalontie 12C, laituri O, 20200 Turku, Finland, Contact: www.svartrecords.com