Rating: 7.4

Country: Hungary

Release Date: 2005

Record Label: PsycheDOOMelic Records

Track list:
1. On Pain Of Birth
2. Sun-Faced Apostles
3. Labyrinths
4. Ship Of Stake
5. Time Of The Goblins
6. The River
7. From The Bottom Of These Days
8. Mother Sand & Father Stone

Band Website: Wall of Sleep

Wall of Sleep - Sun Faced Apostles

Gábor Holdampf- Vocals
Sándor Füleki- Guitars
Barnabás Preidl- Bass
Szabolcs “Szása” Szolcsányi- Drums
Additional guitars on “From The Bottom Of These Days” – Scott “Wino” Weinrich (!!!)

Here's some pretty classy doom from the Hungarian outfit previously known as Mood. While I was very much into the Mood records, I have, admittedly, yet to hear the Wall Of Sleep EP that preceded this full-length, something I will perhaps endeavor to rectify in the near future. The modus operandi here is very much aligned with the sonic niche defined by Mood- that is, doom of the Maryland variety, particularly latter day Obsessed, Internal Void, Earthride and the like. I hesitate to say that this record is on quite the same level as the finest material by that unhallowed triumvirate, but when this record gets it right, it REALLY fucking nails that sound on the head. Additionally, one can detect slight hues of the likes of Abdullah and the first Pale Divine record…you know, that doomy, but intensely melodic/warm /hook-oriented groove approach that manages to synthesize the downtrodden despondency of traditional doom with a good deal of melodic finesse and sophistication. All in all, while does drag just a tad on some of the compositions, I harbor no reservations in recommending this to all aficionados of well-produced, well-written and soulful Maryland doom.

The press bio that accompanied this release suggested that the band's closest aesthetic brethren were Victor Griffin's amazing 'Place Of Skulls', but apart from the trippy, outstandingly warm and velvety guitar tone presented by Sándor Füleki, I don't really see too much of a parallel between the two, though I suppose similarities can perhaps be observed on the likes of the title track. For the most part, the songwriting here is somewhat safe and linear- lots of swelling, dense and swirling riffage, resonant and hypnotic rhythms, mournful, earthy Wino vocal delivery, more soulful and elegantly expressed solos than you can shake a stick at, as well as the organic, honest down-home bluesiness that defines the likes of Internal Void and Iron Man. Mucho credit and kudos go to Füleki for some truly AWESOME riffs here, the most noteworthy unfortunately being the riff that opens the record on “Pain Of Birth”, a sledgehammer guitar figure that kicks your teeth in from the outset, and sets the bar at a height that the rest of the record aspires to live up to. Setting the tone on such a high note, of course, has its obvious disadvantages, and though the record offers PLENTY of highlights following that most awesome of opening tracks (particularly the closing riff sequence of “Labyrinths”, the exotic, opening riff of “Time Of The Goblins”), the record does ultimately suffer slightly from the “Too-awesome-first-track” syndrome.

Yeah, there are a few numbers on here that I don't enjoy quite as much as the bluesy, heady, warm fuzziness of the opening track, the title track, “Labyrinths” and the like. “Ship Of Stake”, for instance, attempts to steer the Wall Of Sleep armada in the direction of vintage Candlemass, and the song pretty much sags, the band somewhat lacking the emotional depth of the likes of Orodruin and coming up somewhat short. It also doesn't entirely help that the song sounds somewhat disjointed and displaced sandwiched between “Labyrinths” and the considerably more uptempo, coiling “Time Of The Goblins” (easily the second finest number on offer here). “The River”, meanwhile, is somewhat confused sounding, the main riff coming off like a half-hearted, haphazard stab at the disorientingly bizarre and leftfield approach of vintage Obsessed, but in actuality is too complicated for its own good. That being said, though, the melodic chorus section that breaks up these befuddled segments are AMAZING, and the passage beginning halfway through the song is pretty great, if a bit marred by the vocal melodies. The solo, as per the rest of the album, is astute, effective, tasteful and intelligent, all qualities that really permeate the record, even if the execution isn't always as sharp as it should be.

Ultimately, this is a pretty good record that showcases much of the same ingénue and conviction that distinguished Mood from the innumerable post-Maryland doomsters of the same ilk. However, it also exhibits many of the shortcomings that plagued said band, in that the compositions still require just that little bit more refinement and conciseness. That being said, there are many obvious steps towards the right direction here, PARTICULARLY in the exceptionally rich and lush production job, which PERFECTLY complements what the band aspire to do here. Additionally, this band flaunts an exceedingly honest, approachable inclination towards hook-craft and melody that certainly set them apart from any number of nu-doom bands of 2005. If you consider yourself an advocate of literate, gorgeous solos and Maryland doom in general, do not hesitate to check this out, it will certainly prompt anticipation for their next release, which I am confident will trump this one in every shape and form.

January 31st, 2006