The Bottom Line
The best album the UK doomsters have released in years.
Pros
- Top-notch doom metal.
- Very diverse with many different stylistic influences.
- Female vocals on a couple of songs are an interesting twist.
Cons
- None.
Description
- Released in North America on January 24, 2006.
- Album title based on a 1504 painting by Hieronymous Bosch.
- Produced by Warren Ryker (Down, Crowbar).
Guide Review - Cathedral - The Garden Of Unearthly Delights
Cathedral have been mainstays of doom metal for 15 years now. They've always experimented and gone through different musical phases. On their eighth studio album they've pulled together elements from their previous work and added some new twists.
The cornerstone of the album is the epic 27 minute track "The Garden," a tour de force of progressive doom with multiple changes of key, tempo, texture and style. There are even female vocals for added variety. The rest of the album runs the gamut from really heavy, plodding doom metal to traditional NWOBHM sounding tracks to progressive psychedelia to acoustic melodic songs.
Lee Dorrian's vocals are an acquired taste, but once you get used to his unusual timbre you start to appreciate what he does with that voice. This album is a must own for doom metal fans.
