Review: Heavy Temple Unleash Psych Doom Mastery on Garden of Heathens
Heavy Temple are back with more psych doom goodness on their latest record, Garden of Heathens, out this Friday via Magnetic Eye Records.
The Philadelphia doom band have done something really commendable and fully avoided the sophomore slump, and at a time when the particular brand of music they play isn’t exactly trending. The big scene trend right now seems to be death metal, but Heavy Temple are here to prove that psych doom is still alive and well.
They also make a bold move in that this record is still heavy and fuzzy, but it also breaks out and experiments a bit. This is still definitely straightforward psych doom, but it’s not afraid to get weird either.
The album kicks off with heavy, distorted opener “Extreme Indifference To Life” which immediately sets the tone that this is still going to be the fuzzy doom worship we know and love, but without pulling any punches. Next up is one of the singles from the band “Hiraeth,” which is drenched in groove and reverb-laden vocals.
As the album continues, it’s clear that this is a record that isn’t afraid to rock hard but still keep things interesting from track to track. It unfolds into a classic masterpiece much like old Sabbath records where there is a theme throughout but still a lot of nuance between songs.
“House Of Warship,” my favorite song from the album, is probably the heaviest, almost verging on doomy death in moments. “Snake Oil And Other Remedies” is a lot of fun, as with all god doom records, it provides the atmospheric longform doom moment that we all live for on records like this. It’s the perfect breather between songs.
There really isn’t a dull moment on the album, and with a lot of more rock ‘n’ roll-heavy compositions, it’s meant to be played from front to back. Another standout moment is “Jesus Wept,” the epic stoner rock ballad of the album with some serious heavy riffs. And speaking of riffs, “Psychomanteum” is the song that shows off the most unrelenting guitar prowess.
Garden of Heathens manages to still deliver the heavy hits and catchy doom we expect from Heavy Temple while also treating us to some variations in form and a few surprises along the way. This is a must-listen for doom fans of all kinds.
Heavy Temple’s Garden of Heathens will be available this Friday, April 12, via Magnetic Eye Records. Preorder your copy today.
