DOOM:VS comes from that great land in the north that has given us time and time again great bands: VOID MOON, CANDLEMASS, AMON AMARTH, YNGWIE J. MALMSTEEN are only a few of the names that comes to mind when you hear about Sweden, so the question becomes does DOOM:VS is another band that makes this land proud?

Composed of only one member, Johan Ericson, DOOM:VS is your standard one-man Doom Metal band so if you already listened to one you already know what to expect: growling vocals, sorrowful riffs, melancholic lyrics and long, bordering on pretentious songs... but, surprisingly as opposed to countless other releases like this that I have listened to in the past, "Earthless" is not as bad as they were.

Sure here you have the same characteristics I previously mentioned, but here they are meaningful. You feel the contemplative state; the sorrowful riffs and the introspective lyrics only reinforce the inward journey, and although the songs are long, almost pretentious, they are not too long that make you want to skip to the next song already. However, by the middle of the record it starts to get boring and you can't wait for it to be over.

So in conclusion, does this band live up to the Metal heritage of Sweden? The answer would be a reluctant yes, yes it is undeniable with the quality of the musicianship and the songwriting. If you are fan of other one-man projects you will feel right at home with this record.