VIGIL is a doom metal band from Kingston, New Hampshire. They formed in 2019 and “...and the Void Stared Back” is their debut EP. Apparently it was released last year but has been reissued after being scooped up by the excellent label Argonauta Records. VIGIL’s brand of doom is slow and hard, complete with thick dismal riffs and death growls. While definitely fitting into the large pantheon of extreme doom, the band isn’t always death metal oriented. There are a ton of riffs that are actually melodic and add a Gothic atmosphere to their sound. The death growls are cavernous but high screams and cleans also pepper the album. All in all, I find the vocals to be pretty good for the style and they always match the tone of the music.

The production/mix is on point. The bass stands out, a powerful vibration for that much needed low end. The drums are thick but crisp enough they don’t get buried by the bass. The guitar and vocals are placed well enough where they are in the front but they don’t steal the show. Since the album is somewhat short at a runtime of 31 minutes among four songs, I will say a little something about all the tracks. “Descend To Extinction,” is a decent overview of the entire album–it’s a good bet that if you find this song enjoyable, the rest of the album will give up further rewards. The Gothic-tinged melodic riffs I mentioned earlier can be found in the song’s earlier moments before it becomes a massive block of hammer smashed doom.

The album isn’t afraid to go against genre norms and operate on a different wavelength, such as in “Words Of A Dying Man.” I love how the drums, almost tribal in a way, build up the song as the spacey synths present a stark new texture. Around the 1:15 mark, the riffs lay it on heavy before the song once again changes gears, a movement with ethereal keys and multi-layered demonic vocals. Yet another shade of the band’s sound is uncovered on “Erosion of the Soul,” and its groove laden hypnotic riffage. Post and prog-ish elements arrive around the 2:08 mark and let the bass take a walk. The middle segment of the song is otherworldly with the keys and guitars laying down an almost alien landscape. The screams after the halfway mark are blackened—it pairs very well with the music. A damn fine song but then again, all the songs are.

The final song, “Convulsive Ways From A World Beyond,” trades doom for speedy aggression and true death metal sound. After the atmospheric touches of the previous two tracks, it’s nice to end the album on a heavier note. The song alternates between death and doom but still finds time to cleverly introduce sonic soundscapes. This is an incredible debut album and I look forward to seeing how they can expand upon this sound, I feel they can be a truly have the potential to make a next level release.