There is old school, and then there is OLD GHOUL. One is much more sinister than the other. OLD GHOUL is an old school Doom project led by Chad Davis based out of San Francisco, California. And when I say 'led,' I mean one-man project, so he leads, follows, fights with himself over creative ownership, and dates his own girlfriends behind his own back. On June 2, 2023, Chad released OLD GHOUL's self-titled debut EP on Regain Records via Helter Skelter Productions.

The EP comprises three tracks with a full runtime of just over 14 minutes. The album doesn't seem to take itself too seriously-with a darkly whimsical cover and heavily analog production values-and therein lies its charm. The album could be a lost demo of BLOODY HAMMERS. And I mean that in the best of ways. OLD GHOUL captures the vibe of 1960's Hammer Horror propelled with the sonic assault of ST. VITUS. As far as the band name, and album title, I have three guesses: A reference to Lovecraft-aka "Pickman's Model"-or a self-deprecating joke, or a tongue-in-cheek reference to Doom, the Tiktaalik of Metal. Either way, Chad Davis might just have created a new RPG class-audio necromancer.

Let's have a real chat about one-man projects. They often collapse under the weight of the monolithic ego of a musical genius, real or delusional, or they veer way off course due to the lopsided propulsion of a musician who is great at one instrument and shit on all others. In this case, Chad has found a workable middle ground. By keeping it simple-down-tuned melodies played on the trifecta of Metal instruments (guitar, bass, drums), accented with solid, clean vocals. Oh, and unpretentious compositions with classic dark lyrics. In short, Chad keeps it simple and plays to his strengths. The compositions never outstrip his performance level on any of the instruments. Also, no atmospheric intros, no spoken word overdubs, no church bells or other field recordings, and not a trace of synthesizers or Hammond organs. That last one is a serious accomplishment because the urge to use Hammond on Psych Doom has to be enormous.

Quick rundown: Track one, "The Crypt of Night." If you can't hear Anders Manga then maybe you need to get that tinnitus checked. This is a classic opening salvo. Perfect Doom lyrics, great lead solo, solid riffs. Track two, "The Devils at Brocken." This one has been out there since 2020. Nasty riff, scathing solo, repetitive invocations of the dark one skulking through the fog. Track three, "The End Of All That Remains." Best and longest track on the EP. Perfect closer. If coffee is for closers, this one deserves a double shot espresso. Groovy and fuzzy. The desert is calling!

Chad Davis has contributed to more bands and albums than there are bodies in Lake Mead. Not sure how he got from North Carolina to California, but stranger things have happened. At any rate, his OLD GHOUL's S/T debut kills. This one will take you back and then bury you in a shallow, damp grave.