DOOL - Summerland (2020)

Enigmatic dutch outfit DOOL is ready to unleash their latest full length release with “Summerland”. Led by charismatic front-woman Ryanne van Dorst, this outfit delivers the perfect mixture of Dark Rock, Gothic Pop and Psychedelic Metal spread out in nine elaborate tracks. Featuring members of bands like Gold, The Devil’s Blood among others, the band’s sound is quite intoxicating, so be prepared for a dark and sinister ride.

The album opens with the masterful “Sulphur & Starlight”, a very somber and yet catchy track that slowly builds up on enigmatic guitars and crafty drumming. The soothing raspy vocals of Ryanne perfectly blend with the playful bass guitar line as the mood changes throughout the song. The hard rocking attitude of the band is truly evident in the epic “Wolf Moon” and the dreamy “God Particle”. The band’s musical influences are vast and varied, as you can even hear some Cult of Luna-esque elements in the later of the previously mentioned tracks.

As one of the most melancholic tracks in this release, the album title track delivers moody guitars paired with stoic vocals and a dramatic progression. For those looking for more intense and hard rocking tunes with sprinkles of psychedelic elements, “A Glass Forest”, “The Well’s Run Dry”, and “Ode to the Future” are here to satisfy your needs. Our favorite song has to be the trippy “Ode to the Future” which has a total The Devil’s Blood vibe thanks to Farida Lemouchi’s guest vocals.

Closing the release with the superbly depressive “Dust & Shadow”, we are left quite impressed with the quality and craftiness of this release. DOOL has matured greatly since their last release and this album showcases that musical evolution and definition of their own core sound. Each track is perfectly crafted with tons of subtle elements that become even more evident the more times you hear this release, so be sure to listen non-stop.

Label: Prophecy Productions

Release: April 10th, 2020

Genre: Dark Rock/Psychedelic Metal

Country: Netherlands