Doom quartet GODTHRYMM formed in the UK in 2017. The band is releasing their debut EP here titled "A Grand Reclamation," which contains four tracks. From their Facebook page, they describe their sound as "epic, crushing doom metal from the north of England. Forged by old friends. Steeped in history."

The title track, "A Grand Reclamation," lead off the EP with a seven minute offering. Lumbering bass guitar notes thwack the ground and are soon joined by a fuzzy, low guitar riff that is like the weight of gravity crushing you from the inside. The vocals in the verses are done nearly acapella, with just a slight presence of bass and drums. Stylistically it reminds me of the dark power of Metal Gods BLACK SABBATH, though the vocals are more earnest. Hamish sings mostly clean, but there is a raspy edge to his voice that speaks of rage. The final two minutes pick up the pace and a guitar solo smokes on the fretboard.

"Sacred Soil" is similar in length. A sorrowful guitar riff leads off the song, with a bit of a psychedelic twist. No good Doom band should be without the forward presence of bass guitar, and Mumford plays with the resolve of a Geezer Butler here. Heavy and a bit trippy from some wild guitar effects, it's a bleak affair, like everything around you covered in a grey haze. "The Pantheon" is an eight-minute mastodon. It moves with the rhythm of the instrumentation and foreboding vocals. The rumble of the low end chords are deep, and there is a welcome discord in the guitar solo. The beast moved forward, but slower and slower, as if he was shot with a few dozen arrows and is slowly losing blood and life.

"Forevermore" is a short closing instrumental acoustical guitar piece. It sounds like something that might be played at grave side service, marking the end of the end. Overall, I found the album was a crushing affair of dejection and hopelessness. At times when I felt that it might not be able to dig any deeper, it did. Had the album gone on to additional songs, it might have sent you to a dark place inside your head that there would be no coming back from. Though I would have liked to have heard a bit more of the band's personality and creative touches, it's a promising debut EP.