Venus Sleeps - Remnants
VENUS SLEEPS READY TO DROP ‘REMNANTS’
Gird up your loins! And mark your calendar. For on December 13, Ireland’s premiere doom outfit Venus Sleeps will release a new album, entitled Remnants.
Venus Sleeps
The album was recorded by Tommy O’Sullivan at Turlough View House, Co. Galway and Deep In The Woods, Co. Wicklow, and mastered by James Plotkin.
Formed in Dublin, in 2012, Venus Sleeps began life as the solo project of Sie Carroll, “mystagogue and lead singer.” Carroll decided to put together a band after encouraging feedback to a demo. Venus Sleeps current lineup now includes Carroll (guitars, vocals), Fergal Malone (drums), Tob Swift (bass), and Steven Anderson (guitars, vocals) and bass on this recording.
Influenced by the sounds of Electric Wizard, Black Sabbath, Hawkwind, and Sleep, in 2015 the band released their debut album, Dead Sun Worship, garnering immediate attention and praise. Since then, Venus Sleeps has shared the stage with heavy hitters such as In Solitude, Tribulation, Beastmilk, Lecherous Gaze, and Slomatics.
DoomMetalHeaven described Dead Sun Worship, “Venus Sleeps do not attempt to pummel your psyche into surrender, relying on creativity rather than power. Their songs cleverly twist and swirl whilst rarely losing their beard-trembling momentum or over-stretching into prog territory. There’s loads of spacey swooshing and pedal-based shenanigans throughout, and a droning psychedelic undercurrent that takes your mind to far-flung corners of the galaxy where no light ever reaches.”
Doom without the usual growling, incomprehensible demonic tones is rare, and refreshing.
Remnants encompasses six-tracks, of which only one is available for listening right now – “Dust.” But in this case, one is enough. For if the remaining five-tracks are only half as good as “Dust,” then the album will still surpass even the most demanding expectations.
“Dust” opens on a clashing high-hat leading to dark viscous guitars surging with muscular grinding colors, infusing the tune with Bran Mak Morn Pict-like dread. Malone’s drumming injects the music with another instrument, adding finessed accents of rumbling force.
Carroll’s voice, vaguely reminiscent of Ozzy Osbourne, high-pitched and reedy, yet full of menacing timbres, imbues the lyrics with skintight melodic flow exuding an indefinable malaise. Doom without the usual growling, incomprehensible demonic tones is rare, and refreshing.
Suggestions of psychedelic flavors swirl from the guitars, giving the harmonics a mordant waspish ambiance, as the crushing bassline secures the bottom end, along with Malone’s viciously battering percussion.
Venus Sleeps kicks ass, delivering black sepulchral doom akin to chaos suspended over an abyss, as well as razor sharp vocals.
