SCALD is a doom metal band from Russia who formed in 1993 and released their now classic debut album “Will of Gods Is a Great Power,” in 1997. Sadly, their vocalist Agyl passed away that same year. Understandably, the band called it quits until reforming in 2019 to play the Hammer of Doom festival. However they decided to keep going and have now unleashed their long awaited sophomore album, “Ancient Doom Metal.” I was a teenager in 1997 and did not yet know of the wonders that metal has to offer, doom or otherwise so this is my first experience with SCALD. I wanted to check out their debut beforehand but, alas, there is too much music and too little time.

But even going in blind, I was immediately impressed with this album. Their brand of doom is often labeled epic doom metal; indeed, this is quite the adventurous and soaring album. I want to give the production well deserved praise. It’s loud and clear but has just enough hint of old school rawness to it. The overall atmosphere is cold and expansive, much like the terrain of their origins. It also has a live feel to it, very natural sounding as if they recorded it all at once. Maybe they did, I am not sure. I do have one minor complaint: the vocals are too up front in the mix and sometimes overpower the music. It’s epic doom so that might be the point but still. Big riffs, soaring vocals, and a powerful rhythm section are what I expected to find within the 7 song, 50 minute runtime. I did find these things but I also discovered an uncanny sense of melody that fits seamlessly among the other elements. Keyboards are sprinkled throughout but not overly used—very organic.

The album’s flow is optimal and breezes by, perfect for both ultimate jam sessions that dive fully in or for a quick listen for a song or two. Therein lies the magic of the album: it’s heavy, it’s well written, but it’s also catchy and FUN. The members of the band enjoyed making this as much as I enjoyed listening to it, no doubt. On top of all that, it sounds honest and true. This isn’t some quick “cash grab” or an attempt to recapture former glory. No, this album was made because the band feels the music with a burning passion for the genre. That love shines through every note. The album opens with the mysterious sounds of the title track but around the 35 second mark, melodic riffs and pounding drums/bass hit as the doom begins in full swing. When the vocals hit for the first time after the minute mark, chills went through me. Felipe is an amazing vocalist because he can be soaring but also emotional.

I love the mid section, Harald and Karry providing a melodic passage with powerful riffs flowing underneath. As that moment ends and the band slides back into the core of the song, Ottar’s drums and Velingor’s bass hit hard and true. The band is adept at world building as well, using the instruments to tell their stories. “The Master of the Lake” is a great example of this. The guitars build up slowly, like the turning of the pages of a good book. As the music picks up, the guitars expand build outward and suddenly that book is engaging and the pages begin to fly by. By the time the minute and a half mark has passed, the world is lush, full, and full of vibrant music. Another chilling part hits at the 4:20 mark, when Felipe sends out a massive performance as the guitar rips through.

The album contains several moments that are so good, I had to keep rewinding them over and over. From 5:30 to the end of “ALU (My Protection)” is one of those moments. Felipe sings his ass off while the rest of the man settles into a slow, hard hitting groove. The emotional guitar solo begins as the music steadily builds up to a catchy rhythm. Majestic, to say the least. I don’t know if the bonus track, “The Enemy Among Us” is on every version but thankfully my promo copy has it. It’s a really good song, the melodic opening is impressive with it’s scope. The song itself tends to hang onto these melodies, throwing them out in between lyrical stanzas. However, the rhythm guitar built up top a searing tone that keeps the song doomed no matter how melodic it gets.

As I previously stated, I missed out on SCALD the first time they hit the scene (hey I was 13 when it came out, what do you want from me?) but I’m glad they are back and if “Ancient Doom Metal” is any indication of their new found prowess and energy, I hope they stay.