First things first, "Calling All Demons" sports an awesome album cover. The MOONLESS logo is stretched and dripping, the colors are bright and disorienting. There's fire, horns, a skull, glaciers, eyes and globs of something melting. One look at this colorful mess and a listener should definitely know what to expect - trippy, downer tunes that gestate and find form in a hallucinogenic land of doomy delight.

The album features six tracks, and "Mark of the Dead" starts things off at a deliberate tempo. The first section of the song is slow-paced and majestic. The drums, bass and guitar lock into a mid-speed, 70s-style riff, and the throaty, gruff vocals bring a bit of badass to the tune. At the four-minute mark, there's a sudden change that lasts for almost a minute. The bass begins a gallop, and the drums and guitar soon follow suit. As the song surges forward, Kenni Holmstad Petersen bellows forth DANZIG type moans and screams. When the time changes again, the song returns to earth, and after a guitar solo and a final refrain, it ends slowly. "Devil's Tool" is a tad more traditional Rock. The IOMMI-esque riffing is the foundation, and it lopes here and there while the other performers follow along. After a couple of traditional verse and chorus combos, the song boogies on through multiple guitar solos and leads. During the final two minutes, there are a few time switches and some vocals, but the guitar playing remains the focal point.

"Horn of the Ram" is another stone-heavy jam. The open drumming showcases the slothful, Rock-hard riff. The rhythmic impact of the tune gives the vocals an almost chant-like feel. And the lyrics? They're all loneliness and emptiness: "Here I am, and you're a long way gone. Spend my time thinking! Spend my time drinking from the horn of the ram. Once again forsaken!" Up next is the title track, "Calling All Demons". It starts off mid-paced, and again Petersen's vocals take center stage. As he bellows "Calling!" two different times in the first section, it is apparent he is reaching out to forces beyond this world. Those are some convincing, throat-ripping and emotive screams. After over three minutes of laid-back grooves combined with the yelping, the song goes double time. The tempo increases, and stoner morphs into solid Hard Rock. This is one strong track.

Lace up your boots and get ready to stomp with "The Bastard In Me". This track may be mean, but it downright bounces with energy. The chug-chug riff is strong and enjoyable, and the secondary riff is burly as well. Closer "Midnight Skies" features three minutes of monolithic crawling followed by two minutes of rollick riffs, some cowbell and another evident nod to BLACK SABBATH. The song switches gears effortlessly at the end, and it finishes the album impressively.

As the latest wave of new Doom continues (and continues and continues), there are still some hidden treasures to be unearthed. While MOONLESS are not as unique as some, they are definitely more original than others. If you've worn out the wax on recent releases by bands like WITCHCRAFT and WEEDEATER, this may be an album you'll enjoy.