From Bandcamp, “Guitars, who needs guitars in heavy music? At least YEAR OF THE COBRA can happily do without the ones that have only thin strings and are mostly good for fiddling around. Vocalist Amy Tung Barrysmith gets a massive groove and lush heaviness out of her bass, which is more than enough to fuel the booming twin engine made from doom metal and psychedelic sludge that drives their self-titled third full-length. YEAR OF THE COBRA had to carve out their own niche, which they did with deceptively seeming ease. They created a sound that effortlessly ranged from classic doom melancholy to oppressively heavy riff architectures. YEAR OF THE COBRA went on to transform catchy, almost upbeat rock moments into swirling psychedelia. YEAR OF THE COBRA are ready for the next step as their self-titled third full-length irrefutably proves.”

The album has eight songs, and “Full Sails” is first. The first few bars are massive, heavy, low, and fuzzy, and the vocals are smooth and soothing. The entire song sounds very somber and hopeless. “War Drop” has weighted bass notes and a little more energy from the main riff, but the song sounds like someone put the gear into low and slowed down the RPMs. The vocal harmonies are strong however and they provide another layer to the music. “Daemonium” has higher vocals and some catchy features. “I saw you walking with that girl, in the middle of the night,” she muses. “Alone” proves that Doom Metal can be catchy when it needs to be. Psychedelic tones mix into the thick stew, providing a layer of longing to the music.

“7 Years” is another song with a fuzzy, catchy riff, and the band keeps up a level of energy to the music that keeps the listener engaged. “Don’t stray to far, he said to me, with venom in his voice.” “The Darkness” has an impossibly low and slow riff, reminiscent of a lumbering mammoth wandering the frozen tundra. You can feel his footsteps from miles away. Again, the vocal harmonies are excellent. “Sleep” is the kind of song that reminds you of the half-space you often feel between sleep and waking up. Are you dreaming? You can’t quite tell, and the music keeps an even keel. “Prayer” closes the album, and it’s a slow crawl of harmonized vocals and reflection on the part of the listener. The low end is absolutely crushing, but the high end keeps melody flowing in the forefront.

This is Doom Metal, make no mistake, but the duo fuses smooth vocals harmonies and some catchy moments into the album. The result is a fresh take on the genre, as well as an album that keeps moving, and keeps shifting, refusing to be set down in one pace for too long.