sat 02/11/2024

CD: Pombagira – Flesh Throne Press | reviews, news & interviews

CD: Pombagira – Flesh Throne Press

CD: Pombagira – Flesh Throne Press

A stoner epic from the doom rock duo

'Flesh Throne Press' - portentous riffing soaked in reverb

Flesh Throne Press is the sixth album from heavy doom-rock duo Pombagira. Guitarist and singer Pete and drummer Carolyn Hamilton-Giles’s massive sound is characterised by portentous riffing soaked in reverb, vocals that could easily be mistaken for prime time Ozzy Osbourne, and sluggish but powerful drumming, all basted in early '70s production values.

While Flesh Throne Press could, at a stretch, be described as meditative, it’s certainly not unobtrusive background music and needs to be played very loudly indeed.

The obvious touchstones for Flesh Throne Press are the sound of classic Black Sabbath and spaced-out '70s psychedelia with a heavy dose of pagan mysticism. Heavy sludge-rock riffing with trippy interludes characterise epic funereal tunes that clock in at well over 10 minutes: “The Way”, “In The Silence” and “Soul Seeker” are all stoner gold. The accompanying lyrics invoking “the Great Father who blackens the sky” and “the Golden Coil of Time”, however, occasionally veer dangerously close to progressive rock pomposity but given that the vocals are buried deep in the mix, visions of Yes album covers are easily banished.

But there are plenty of other flavours on Flesh Throne Press beyond crushing riffs interspersed with atmospheric spaces. “I Curse, I Pray” has more than a dash of My Bloody Valentine’s cacophonous noise about it. The instrumental “Blessed Are the Dead” wouldn’t be out of place in a set by Latin guitar magicians Rodrigo y Gabriela, while “Gather” is a melodic trip that brings to mind Pink Floyd’s “Set the Controls For the Heart of the Sun”. However, as a whole, Flesh Throne Press is a massive yet brooding epic inviting a total immersion that eclipses all trivial concerns.

'Flesh Throne Press' is a massive yet brooding epic inviting a total immersion that eclipses all trivial concerns

rating

Editor Rating: 
4
Average: 4 (1 vote)

Share this article

Add comment

Subscribe to theartsdesk.com

Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.

To take a subscription now simply click here.

And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?

newsletter

Get a weekly digest of our critical highlights in your inbox each Thursday!

Simply enter your email address in the box below

View previous newsletters