Doom Metal’s initial idea was to recover the slower and sinister appeal of BLACK SABBATH’s classic songs in an actual form back in the end of the 70s and beginning of the 80s. This is what acts as ST. VITUS, TROUBLE, PENTAGRAM, WITCHFINDER GENERAL, THE OBSESSED, CIRITH UNGOL, CANDLEMASS and others started and did with their own personalities. During the years between 1994 and 1997, acts as PARADISE LOST, MY DYING BRIDE, TIAMAT and MOONSPELL caused a new revolution on the genre by using elements of Gothic Rock, Industrial Rock and Progressive Rock to create new musical possibilities. But as always, there are bands in the trenches of the Old School and Avant-garde ways on such subgenre. Stating such differences, it’s possible to speak clearly about “Seeds of Downfall”, the first full length of the Chilean quintet BLACKFLOW.

The words above are clear: the listeners will deal with a Doom Metal act. But they prefer to use a more classic outfit, with the slow tempos of the past and a distorted and nasty appeal as early Doom Metal acts used. Of course the fans will hear a clear melodic temper that comes from traditional Heavy Metal on the melodies. It’s not a sin to say that they’re on the same trench of CANDLEMASS and TROUBLE, or in other words, in a more dynamical form of the genre, with some rhythmic shifts and tons of crude energy flowing from their songs. On the sonority, nothing can be said that isn’t it’s a very good result, because the songs are sounding defined and understandable, but one can feel a little ‘q’ of the past’s crudeness (that the early recordings of Doom Metal used to have during the early days of the 80s). It’s a very good result, and shaped by a good artwork done by Edgardo Lillo, with the use of some darkened colors that seem to be stating that it’s a Doom Metal album.

Maybe the ‘sabbathian’ side of Doom Metal has a stroke on the band’s music, because some features of Doom Metal (as long timespams) are seen on “Seeds of Downfall”, and the band’s music seems to have little to be sharpened in the future (they released one studio EP and one live EP before). And listening to songs as “Neo Middle Ages” (obviously the ‘sabbathic’ side of Doom Metal can be heard on the guitar riffs, but the song shows excellent dynamic rhythms), “Egomaniacal Fraternity” (the singing is very good, reminding some dramatic sustains in a ‘marcolinean’ way, and the song is filled with excellent oppressive ambiences), “Indifferent to Others” (here some elegant arrangements can be heard before the natural bitter weight of the genre takes over, always boosted by excellent guitar riffs), “Iron to Rust” (the melodic appeal inherited from 70s Hard Rock is clear one this one, and what hooking melodies can be heard), “Corrupted” (an oppressive slow paced set of tempos can be heard, showing the strength of bass guitar and drums on the band’s music) and on the catchy “1830”. But don’t dare to not hear to “Aspiration of the Species”, the bonus track of the CD version of the album.

It’s great to hear a South American act as BLACKFLOW showing such a level of musical maturity, and if you’re an addicted to Doom Metal, “Seeds of Downfall” must be on your ‘must have’ list of albums.