It opens with a solitary vocal – recorded in a church that had been not-exactly-legally accessed by the band – but from there it’s a psych-rock party. Frequently, the heavy riffs twist around liquid keyboards, freaking out infectiously before settling into a groove. There’s Queen-esque explosions of total flamboyance. They’ve got choruses that Ghost wish they’d written. And though this does feel a little familiar to anyone who’s ever picked up a record from the ’70s or glanced at the doom scene, the glossy sheen and theatrical projection of the banging Reaper’s Scythe or the warning against ‘Playing with forces you can’t understand’
of Upon The Altar have a fresh, blossoming personality all of their own.
As with their Woodland Rites debut, Green Lung have once again proven here that they are not only good at this stuff, but have understanding enough to actually add to it. And whether you care to look deeper into the lyrics or simply revel in the imagery, this is a brilliant, joyous record from which there are bountiful rewards to be reaped. A band out of time? Only if you're not looking for a good time.
Verdict: 4/5
For fans of: Ghost, Black Sabbath, Blood Ceremony
Black Harvest is out now via Svart Records