What's up Metal maniacs? I'm here once again to give you another insight...this time on the French band THE LUMBERJACK FEEDBACK and their instrumental Doom Metal record "Blackened Visions"; released via  Kaotoxin Records.

Personally, instrumental music is a blessing for me. As a gamer I enjoy listening to their OSTs (Original Soundtracks) from time to time - I do love a bit of lone instrumental listening. Going in with low expectations, I found myself surprised to be asked to review THE LUMBERJACK FEEDBACK; an utmost original idea for me, and a mostly joyful listen that had me entrenched in a brutal Doom Metal quartet that has no vocalist...but just extreme noise that pleased me greatly. "Blackened Visions" is their first album and if you want a straight, honest answer...I would say that this is pretty much the perfect music for a Doom instrumental Sludge-fest. With only 6 songs - but 6 lengthy songs - I delved deep into this fascinating, masterful record that had me indulged with power, imagination and technique. "Loud and Low" is a catchphrase of theirs, and I can certainly understand its meaning.

Instead of a vocalist we have a double-pounding duo of drums and guitars. Olivier T'Servrancx and Nicolas Tarridec both duplicate the power of Doom Metal drumming in fierce force. We also have guitarists Simon Herbaut and Arnaud Silvert performing atmospheric riffs while keeping that delicious pounding flavour afloat. And not to forget about Sébastien Tarridec on bass who adds the Doom atmospherics ten-fold. This is a band that has a raw appeal in their sound production and attain a curiously memorable pattern with an original feel that screams out intense fury. Not only that, but while the album is short, it is also very lengthy, and it has a feel of Norse mythology to it...which lovingly adds a lot more embedded power into the notion, and it all works surprisingly well. And now it's time to jam to these tracks and give you that insight you've been craving...

"No Cure (For Fools)" begins the album with a surprising but typically Doom Metal intrigue. I'm mostly familiar with Doom Metal from my friend's band GEVAUDAN - from England - and every time I listen to them or witness them Live, I experience a fist-clenching sound that rushes through my head to a solidified energy of epic proportions; and THE LUMBERJACK FEEDBACK provide a similar mood. It will suffice to say that extreme Doom Metal is notorious for being louder than hell while keeping the atmospheric Doom atmosphere in-check. This is notably found in the 8-minute titular track "Blackened Visions", which slows down the mid-tempo of distraught power; but completely blows you away with a truly unheard of sound that wants to kick your arse in hindsight. "IMereMortal" shows off similar Doom fashion while exposing all of the duo's traits for making this album as loud as they possibly could...and low, if you don't get the catchphrase by now.

Ironically, the album flew by faster than the speed of light; which was a good thing, as after a few listens before completing the review I found myself enjoying it ever so more than I originally expected. "Salvation" doesn't pose much difference but keeps the epic atmosphere of the band's intentions active. While "Dra Til Helvete" (being 9 minutes long) offers a more upbeat nature; proving evidence that a double-duo can pump out the necessary power to get the consumer moving. The album ends on a high-note with "Mah Song (Horses of Gods)" (ma song?). It feel like this was part of some Norse mythology-intended purpose of a song but it ends with intriguing, intelligent high-tempo riffs and is just an all-round epic experience. The bottom line compels me to just say; it's available to listen for free via their bandcamp website, so if this review hasn't enticed you to check it out already...JUST DO IT!