Search - Penance :: Parallel Corners

DOOM!

Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 03/17/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'm not a huge doom metal fan, though I do own a fair number of albums by Candlemass, Solitude Aeternus, and My Dying Bride. There's something about the band Penance that stands out though. Perhaps it's the fact that they don't always keep their tempo at a slow crawl, or that while they aren't as soul-crushingly bleak as My Dying Bride, you still get the feeling that the band is planting a collective boot squarely on your chest and pressing down slowly.



Whatever the reason, Penance stands out as one of the better bands in the doom metal genre. They're unrelentingly heavy, have a powerful vocalist, and aren't afraid to pick up the pace when necessary (in true Sabbath form). The band's 1994 album Parallel Corners is a great example of what Penance is capable of, sounding a lot like Solitude Aeternus with elements of Nevermore and Wicked Maraya (look them up, you won't regret it) added to the mix.



Parallel Corners is an album that just about all doom metal fans will want to check out, particularly those into the old school doom sound.

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