Death / Doom, as a genre, is stronger than it has ever been. Building on the work of pioneers such as the PEACEVILLE THREE, many bands have been putting out some really incredible, heavy and dark Metal music in this vein, the most prominent, arguably, being Switzerland's TRIPTYKON. But there are plenty of great underground acts from across the world who are putting out quality Death Doom records. One of these bands is OPHIS, who hail from Hamburg, Germany. After listening to their new album, "Abhorrence in Opulence", it's clear that they are criminally overlooked by many. So let's delve into the dark, gruesome world of OPHIS...

Right from the start of the first track, "Disquisition of the Burning", it is clear that this band is entrenched in the classic bands of the genre; their music, in particular, their guitar lines, have a strong air of MY DYING BRIDE about them, owing a lot to the gothic, eerie guitar work of Andrew Craighan and Calvin Robertshaw. If you are not a big MY DYING BRIDE fan, then this might put you off; but if, like me, you love Bradford's Death Doom heroes, then you will love every second of it. This element is not the only facet of their sound however. Their music is an amalgamation of different styles and textures, which gives them their own distinct, heavy sound. OPHIS can go from being ruthlessly doomy and heavy one minute, barraging the listener with a think wall of sound, and the next they could be playing a quiet, melodic section. No song illustrates this better than "Among the Falling Stones" and the album closer "Resurrection". But the best song in this already great album is the brilliantly titled "A Waltz Perverse", which floats from being eerie and melodic to being harsh with a blackened edge. This song sounds a lot like something SHINING (SWE) might have put on their "Halmstad" album. This is, overall, fantastic, and is a great example of what Death Doom is like. It has all the key tropes, yet is completely its own monster, and has its own voice in a sea of shameless copyists and generic artists.

If you like your Death / Doom crushing, slow, and fierce, then this is the album for you. This band is going from strength to strength and this will hopefully be the album that pushing them into the consciousness of the "mainstream". Although Death Doom as a genre is very much an acquired taste, I think this could bring new fans into the genre, if it gets the promotion it deserves. Definitely check it out.