Hour Of 13 - Black Magick Rites (CD Review)

Hour Of 13 Black Magick Rites

01. His Majesty Of The Wood

02. Return from the Grave

03. House of Death

04. Black Magick Rites

05. Within the Pentagram

06. Harvest Night

07. The Mystical Hall of Dreams

Chad Davis (Vocals, All Instruments)

For the best part of two decades American doom band Hour Of 13 have made quite an impact under the careful watch of mainman Chad Davis.

Along the way and over the course of three albums and numerous EPs, HOUR OF 13 have built a formidable discography that's amassed a fanatic following awaiting each offering Davis and his rotating cast of cohorts creates.

This is the first new recordings in over eight years, Black Magick Rites was available digitally on November 1st, 2020 for only 24 hours. Just as uniquely, Black Magick Rites also marks the first album where Davis handles not only all instruments, but also all vocals. 

 From the off, this is a superb album, none of the usual clichés of twenty minute dirges and stereotypical "Occult" lyrics.

That this album was produced by one (very talented) man is astounding.

Amazing vocals, great guitar playing, solid drumming brilliantly mixed together, cannot fault this in anyway, shape or form.

Rating 9/10

For Fans Of: Electric Wizard, Witchfinder General, Witchfynde, Angelwitch, Cathedral

The Sabbathian - Latum Alterum (CD Review)

01. Requiem…
02. The Brightest Light
03. Liti Kjersti
04. Head Of A Traitor
05. One Night Of Cruelty
06. Embrace The Dark
07. Evig Hvile Libera Me…

Anette Uvaas Gulbrandsen (Vocals)
Joey Downs (Guitars)
Chad Davis (Guitars/Bass/Drums)

Guest
Liv Kristine (Vocals)

 US-Norwegian project The Sabbathian, formed by Chad Davis (Hour of 13) and Anette Uvaas Guldbrandsen (Nàttsòl), released their debut EP Ritual Rites on Svart Records in 2014.
Their debut album is scheduled for release on January 25th on LP, digital and limited double CD (including Ritual Rites EP on CD for the first time).
The album is a considerably darker affair compared to the EP, a step away from the origins of doom metal and towards the heavier sounds of bands such as Bathory or Candlemass.
Vocalist Anette describes the album thus: "The overall theme can be described as slightly morbid, as it is very much about passing over to the other side - latum alterum. The odd one out is the song Embrace The Dark, which retains the sound of the EP.”

Well after the first play of what seemed to be a stunning mix of epic symphonic doom mastery I completely forgot to write any notes, so looks like I shall have to play it again and try to avoid just cranking up the volume and enjoying this quite so much.

With an intro that sounds like something ‘Clannad’ would produce we are then lead into
‘The Brightest Light’ which has this raw and alive sound of guitar and drums at full volume pounding out this superb Doom laden wall of energy. Then cutting through this is just the most amazing melancholic and beautiful vocal.
This absolute perfect mix of energy and melody continues track after track.

‘Embrace The Dark’ has a much darker feel, very “occult psych” in it’s stunning delivery and then the final song also gives us a slightly different sound, symphonic goth doom perhaps? I’m not sure but it’s as amazing as every other track.

To be honest you can tag this with whatever genre you want to as long as the tag says AWESOME!

I have listened to a lot of music that’s calls itself Doom, Occult Rock etc over the years and this is by far the best I have heard.

Rating 10/10
For Fans Of: Coven, Alunah, Blood Ceremony, Devil’s Blood, Lucifer, Death Penalty

Hour Of 13 - 333 (CD Review)

01.Deny The Cross
02.The Burning
03.Rite Of Samhain
04.Spiral Vacuum
05.Whos To Blame
06.Sea Of Trees
07.Lucky Bones


Chad Davis (Instruments)
Phil Swanson (Vocals)

Hailing from the USA, Hour of 13's core duo of Chad Davis and Phil Swanson return with their third album, '333'.  Cloaked in obscure tales of the bizarre and the lost, Hour of 13 bridge the gap between forlorn despair and cautious hope on their new album.  Powered by majestic, haunting riff worship, and shrouded with occult sentiment and themes, the album offers a glimmer of salvation for the alienated and the alone.

Choosing to utilise a highly listenable classic rock songwriting approach, Hour of 13 throw in curveballs with the use of devilish riffs and a pained vocal intonation that threatens to collapse under the weight of unwieldy despair.

'Sea of Trees' and 'The Burning' emphasise the twisted catchiness that has become Hour of 13's trademark - on the one hand welcoming enough to get heads banging, but grimly haunting enough to leave a sense of unease lingering.

If it's possible to create an uplifting kind of doom metal, then Hour of 13 might have uncovered the alchemical formula that offers redemption on the one hand, and plunges you into hopelessness on the other.

Coming across like classic 'Witchfinder General' the band have achieved exactly what they set out to.

Rating 7/10

For fans Of: Witchfinder General, Cathedral, Electric Wizard