Black Winged Gods
Lavaborne
•
January 10, 2022
Reviving the Classic Metal sound, LAVABORNE unleash their debut full length with the thunderous spirit of BLACK SABBATH and CANDLEMASS channelled through striking Power-Doom riffs and explosive drums, with vocals to rival the best of them. Perfectly capturing the feeling of the bands that built up the world of metal, whilst introducing modern influences, styles and production quality, this album brings a juxtaposed feeling of fresh nostalgia.
"Black Winged Gods" opens with "Call to Worship", an intro track that invokes all the feelings and energy of classic metal through the parody of a marching band. The production quality, the snare rolls and simple guitar melody that builds in pitch till it's a shrill wail, is all designed to feel like a track ripped straight from the 1970s, creating a nice reference point for us, the listener, as the album moves forward. "The Heathen Church" seamlessly transitions into the modern influence, as the production cleans up and the tone shifts. Traces of METALLICA echo through the opening riff and its thrashing drumbeat, complete with short bursts of double pedal and a fantastic sounding ride bell, until the verses hit and the sound echoes the more grandiose approach of IRON MAIDEN. "Flesh and Blood" picks up the pace with its driving opening and the noodling guitar solo work combines nicely with the upbeat drums. The swung double bass pedal sounds amazing and the flow of them with the guitar and vocals makes for a lovely rhythm. The double bass moves between swung to straight for a rumbling tone beneath more great guitar soloing.
The band heavily channels the classic sound with "The Great Reward," which sounds like it could be taken straight from a BLACK SABBATH best of, the swung drums and guitars, with pulsing bass pedal and high tones, along with Chris Latta's wonderful vocals, it's a great nostalgia trip and a great track. In the track "Black Winged Gods" they venture into more stripped back musical sections, hymnal vocals and dragged drums, with layered acoustic and electronic guitars to create an epic, cinematic feeling, whilst the finale track is a near 8-minute amalgamation of striking guitar solos, thunderous drums and grand vocals for a mighty ending to a mighty album, bringing together all the elements that have made it a joy to listen to.
LAVABORNE expertly conjure the vibe of great metal bands whilst creating something new, which is no small feat. From the song writing to the production this is a well-crafted, finely tuned and high quality release. Fantastic guitar work throughout, thunderous drum sections and non-stop killer vocals, a real delight for people wanting to capture that old school feeling.
7 / 10
Good
Songwriting
Musicianship
Memorability
Production
"Black Winged Gods" Track-listing:
1. Call to Worship
2. The Heathen Church
3. Flesh, Blood & Bone
4. The Great Reward
5. Mortal Pride
6. The Serpent Seed
7. Master of Medusa
8. Black Winged Gods
9. Prove Your Worth
10. The Final Mystery
Lavaborne Lineup:
Chris Latta - Lead Vocals
Brandon Signorino - Guitar
Brandon Davis - Bass
Freddie Rodriguez - Guitar
Max Barber - Drums
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