Slower than Saint Vitus, stonier than Electric Wizard, grimmer than a gulag—these Russian metalhead Sabbath worshippers deliver a stunning slab of doom metal on their debut album. The riffs have just the right touch of blues and sludge, just that perfect balance of 70s rock influence as well as macabre modernity that so many doom bands struggle to achieve these days. The retro flair is just brilliant, with some riffs reminding me of the best of Witchfinder General or Pagan Altar. (For fans of MD’s Mausoleum, this is what that band was trying to sound like.) I don’t know how these Russkies get good weed in the taiga, but it’s probably nothing compared to California’s herbs, so toke up and PLAY THIS FUCKING LOUD! FCC: 5 “Shit”, 7 “Fucking”. All tracks rule; pick a song with a length proportional to how stoned you are.

1. (7:58) Starts of slow and menacing, then a churning, downtrodden doom gem.
2. (4:42) Slightly more upbeat, but not much. Some Iommi-esque wah soloing.
3. (4:43) A solid rockin’ tribute to marijuana, just as dank as “Sweet Leaf”!
4. (3:31) Yikes! Angry, fast, thrashy, like Sleep’s first album.
5. (12:04) Bleak guitar droning intro with some sparse chords; then some CRUSHING slow doom, reminiscent of Sleep’s Holy Mountain.
6. (4:57) Slow, ugly, galloping, apocalyptic
7. (406) Sweet doom riffs with exceptional jazz-influenced drumming
8. (4:36) pain, suffering, and misery in musical form
9. (5:11) Depressing, plodding… I think they’re singing about drugs. Probably.
10. (4:45) Abandon all hope, ye who hath finished this album.
review by D. Cannibal