CONDENADOS - The Tree Of Death
January 10, 2017, 7 years ago
(Shadow Kingdom)
Chilean doom metal dudes Condenados return six years after their debut for this impressive piece of traditional doom. Just check out regal nine-minute opener “Star Of Punishment”, which goes by in the blink of an eye with its Candlemass-ian doom glory, its fully awesome speeding-up outro, and its display of moving melodies.
Powerful stuff, but I’m not totally sold on the vocals yet: songs like “Sea Of Fire” demand a completely arresting voice and while vocalist/guitarist Fernando Vidal certainly has gusto, it falls a bit flat at points, which is so often the case with this kind of trad doom: few honestly have the pipes to pull it off. But it’s so often more about intent than finished product, and here Condenados have perfect intent throughout this cool album, one that is, wisely, a brief 35 minutes and six songs, the band never once wearing out their welcome while playing their stately doom, the listener never once wanting it to end, and most certainly hoping for a bit more when it does.
