Bloody Hammers - Lovely Sort Of Death (2016)

Genre - Doom Metal/Hard Rock

Label - Napalm Records

Track listing:

01. Bloodletting on the Kiss
02. Lights Come Alive
03. The Reaper Comes
04. Messalina
05. Infinite Gaze to the Sun
06. Stoke the Fire
07. Ether
08. Shadow Out of Time
09. Astral Traveler
10. Catastrophe

Despite 'Lovely Sort of Death' being the fourth studio album to be released by US doomster's Bloody Hammers, this is the first time that I had heard of them.  Bloody Hammers are a hard rock band founded in 2012 in Charlotte, NC, United States. Commonly viewed as an example of occult rock, the group has equally incorporated elements of traditional doom metal, stoner rock and psychedelic rock. Bloody Hammers their released a self-titled album in 2012, which was followed by "Spiritual Relics" in 2013, both on Soulseller Records. In 2014 the band signed to Napalm Records and released their third album, "Under Satan's Sun".With a sound that brings to mind a more polished Type O Negative or Mortiis, Bloody Hammers offer something a little different to general mix of rock n roll that's is so widely available today.
Opening with the rather mellow and chilled out 'Bloodletting on the Kiss', the guys set out their stall from the outset. Dark eerie soundscapes and haunting melodies will ensue for the next forty six minutes or so.  'Lights Come Alive' continues this theme, even though the chorus does add a little more energy to proceedings, we still have a well disciplined song that is allowed to grow naturally. imagine if you will an 80's new wave band playing Black Sabbath, that's something close to what Bloody Hammers deliver, and they do it rather well too. 'The Reaper Comes' has Bloody Kisses era Type O Negative written all over it, whilst 'Messalina' is more of a straight up rocker. 'Infinite Gaze to the Sun', 'Stoke the Fire' and 'Astral Traveler' offer up the albums most up-tempo moments whilst 'Ether' see's the guys really grind out a great little doom track.
In 'Lovely Sort of Death' Bloody Hammers have delivered a really solid slice of doom rock that fans of Type O Negative, Danzig, Mortiis and Paradise Lost really should be checking out!

Rating: 10/10