POET - Emily (2020)

Usually Doom Metal releases are best for cold and dark days, however, POET will turn your August days quite dark and gloomy with their gargantuan release “Emily”. Delivering over 44 minutes of soul-crushing Doom, this album has a ‘classical’ Death-Doom/Funeral Doom vibe as it spews six anthems of darkness and despair. As one of the densest albums of this summer, this self-released album is a breath of fresh air amongst all the crappy stuff coming out these days.

Opening with throbbing guitar riffs, the first track, “I”, slowly builds up and delivers waves after waves of slow and delicious distortion. The band’s edge comes in the way of the use of truly demoralizing Violin, Viola, and Cello’s through this album, paired with Brighid Wagner’s haunting female vocals. Think of early My Dying Bride with some sprinkles of Sub Rosa thrown into the mix as “II” and “IV” slowly progress.

Minimalist and crushing, “V” delivers weeping guitars and an emotive pace, reminding us of bands like Mournful Congregation and Thergotton. The album closes strongly with the pummeling “VI”, flanked by angelic female vocals, the ravaging guitars create a very oppressive and crushing atmosphere. Overall, “Emily” is one hell of a release packing a lot of punch. Keeping the flame of old-school Death/Doom Metal alive, POET is one band to keep an ear out for.

Label: Self-Released

Release: August 1st, 2020

Genre: Doom Metal

Country: USA