As a Metal genre evolves, its limits are expanded and different forms of sonority are created by musicians’ experimental visions. Doom Metal was born as a ‘revival’ of musical elements that BLACK SABBATH laid on with “Black Sabbath”, “Paranoid” and “Master of Reality”, and acts as SAINT VITUS, WITCHFINDER GENERAL, PENTAGRAM, TROUBLE and CANDLEMASS kept things in such way, but into a different way that was finally labeled as Doom Metal in the late days of the 70s and early days of the 80s. They’re the creators of what can be called classic Doom Metal, the genre that the Italian trio THE BOTTOMLESS if into, as depicted on “The Banishing”. The trio brings a form of Doom Metal that is into the classical form, but with a heavy and massive dose of melodies inherited of traditional Heavy Metal and Hard Rock (pay attention to the guitars on “Guardians of Silence”), but always using the oppressive outfit of the genre.

But their musical work shows an ample range of influences, and even having a musical Doom Metal ‘core’ (due the use of slow and oppressive slow rhythms), one can have a clear idea that they’re not refusing to use their inner musical backgrounds to enrich things, to make their music personal and have a different taste, but that’ll make the lovers of Doom Metal fall in love with their work. The great value they show on their second album is to use a more defined and cleaner sound that is usual for Doom Metal acts, what depicts a musical work that can be heard and enjoyed by many fans (including those that aren’t into Doom Metal). The sound engineering of Daniel Grego allowed the band to use very good instrumental tunes that aren’t overloaded on distortion and filth, what is the difference between them and others, and allow their music to be heard by many. 

There are 8 very good songs on the album, all of them a piece of very good music. But one can have a clear idea of what they can do listening to “Let Them Burn” (that shows a more Hard Rock set of elements into their Doom Metal outfit, and such clean singing is very good, but unusual for the genre), “The Great Unknown” (here the oppressive appeal of the genre is clear, with very good rhythmic work conducted by bass guitar and drums), “Guardians of Silence” (the clean melodic guitars on its beginning creates a sad and melancholic ambience, preparing for the heavy weighty load of energy that will come in few seconds), “By the Sword of the Archangel” (another mastodonic weighty song with a crude energy flowing from the speakers, but what lovely melodies), “Illusion Sun” (a massive Doom Metal blow is hear on this one, with very good riffing), and “Dark Waters”. 

“The Banishing” is filled with an honest and passionate Doom Metal feeling, and it’s not a sin to think that BOTTOMLESS seems to be one of the next greater names in the genre.