Hexer – Cosmic Doom Ritual (2017)

With countless bands playing Doom and its variants these days, it is hard to find bands that managed to deliver something different. Today we have Hexer and their Oriental infused Doom onslaughts that managed to grab our attention and a permanent spot on our Doom albums of 2017 rotation. Delivering three songs and around 36 minutes of music, the band presents a well-known sound with a set of tweaks that make it worthy of your attention.

The album starts with the mysterious “Merkaba”, a 12 minute piece that slowly builds up in a very ritualistic manner. This track is presents us with a unique journey that is far from linear and has more than enough surprises for the listener with multiple influences thrown into the mix. The band’s atmospheric journey continues with the punishing riffing of “Pearl Snake”, which borders in Sludge/Doom territories. The oriental elements take this track to a whole new level by adding depth and intrigue.

Closing the release with the harrowing “Black Lava Flow”, it is the creepy oriental elements that push this track over the top, reminding us of a mixture of Thergothon and Nile/Melechesh. Overall, “Cosmic Doom Ritual” is a release that is perfectly described by its titled. Hexer manages to push the boundaries of the genre and delivers a hefty dosage of awesome music.

Label: Vendetta Records

Release: April 14th, 2017

Genre: Doom Metal

Country: Germany