ALBUM REVIEW: The Omen – Kabbalah
The number three has always been a major symbol in the occult. The three witches of Macbeth, the mother-maiden-crone triple goddess figure – and now, KABBALAH. This band brings the esoteric doom rock in The Omen, an album which acts as a direct descendant from the almighty COVEN.
Riffs to rival BLACK SABBATH and an ethereal whispered vocal is what opens KABBALAH’s new record, The Omen. Stigmatized opens with a satisfyingly crushing guitar line, before Carmen Espejo’s ghostly vocals kick in. The band create a three-part harmony during the chorus, evoking images of covens the world over. There is some serious power in this trio of witchy women, and it’s a joy to behold on an album as strong and captivating as this one.
With all three band members taking on the vocal section, the band is able to elevate their sound from mere occult doom to something more – this album sounds like a reckoning of elements and the uniquely feminine power of these three musicians. They have been described before as “a doop wop-era girl group doing BLACK SABBATH”, something which really rings true throughout the album’s runtime.
Something else which consistently sets this band’s sound apart from the ever-growing pile of ‘occult doom’ are the skilful time signature changes and rhythmic playtime of the group. It elevates the sound above your average doom metal band to that of a serious new contender on the scene, a band who is definitely worthy of your time. The band’s sound, despite incorporating organ sounds which wouldn’t be out of place on a Halloween ride at the funfair, manages to steer firmly clear of the kitschy pitfalls which this genre so often falls prey to, instead maintaining a certain level of class which comes both with the immaculate vocal harmonies and the clever and playfulness of the ever-changing rhythms, keeping the listener on their toes throughout the whole album.
Nowhere is this more apparent that Night Comes Near, the chorus of which functions as a kind of vocal round, as the drums slow to half time and the vocals swirl around in the mix, giving the impression that we have just fallen prey to a circle of witches on the moor, who are going to have their wicked way with us.
The Labyrinth is a brilliantly pounding track, the visual elements lending the lyrics the true raw power of an esoteric reckoning. This spiralling song manages to capture the exact feeling of having lost your way, in lyrics and music alike. But it’s IRON MAIDEN that the riffs smack of more than anything, proving this band can also have a lot of fun. During this track, the band work together to bring the creepiest vocal harmonies into play, elevating their sound beyond the usual occult doom tropes into something truly spectacular.
There are places throughout the album where it could have done with perhaps a little more polish, production-wise. Perhaps a little cleaner mix here, or a sharper guitar tone there. Ultimately, these elements are a matter of personal taste (and budget), and do little to detract from the overall mission statement of this band – to make creepy occult doom which is a little rough around the edges.
The Omen, at only eight tracks, just under half an hour, does not out-stay its welcome. Far from it; the last note of Liturgy leaves the album unresolved, and we want more.
Rating: 8/10
The Omen is out now via Rebel Waves Records.
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