In January 2013, BYZANTHIAN NECKBEARD was created in the fog covered Bailiwick of Guernsey, an island in the English Channel, just off the coast of Normandy. They create music that reflects the relics of darker times and a war torn world. They are a blind of heavy, fuzzy Doom Metal. After many performances, the band began recording their debut album in September 2013 "From The Clutches Of Oblivion". Their debut album comes in with tracks and a listening time of about 32 minutes. This album is self-described as "fuzz stained, doom laden horror".

"From The Clutches Of Oblivion" starts its story with "Doppleganger". It comes in low and that bass line is incredible. It gives a little bit of a Progressive, Atmospheric undertone. It is heavy in Doom and the growls are so low, they are just another instrument to complete the overall music. This track is incredibly creative and breathes new life into this genre.

"Indoctrinate The Priestess", track two, is the epitome of low, heavy, and hefty music. The intro to the track is bass solo heaven; absolutely superb. I am a sucker for good bass, and when there is a solo, it makes my heart swell with love. Not only is the bass line on this track good, the guitars are gritty and nasty too, completing the string round up beautifully. The drums are a great accent to rest of the music, never overwhelming the sound, but definitely keeping the rhythm a bit slower, as the track dictates. "Indoctrinate The Priestess" is the longest track on the album, and my favorite track on the album. The wholeness and the musicianship are unforgettable.

Track four, "The Gnach", is another one that kind of has an Atmospheric and Progressive undertone in the beginning, then quickly changing to a dark, deep, and rich sound. The guitars and bass are incredibly well played and while it's easy to tell the difference between the two, the guitars are so low, they almost mimic the bass. Another breath of life in Doom Metal.

"The Cyberdwarf", the final track, opens with an exceptional instrumental allowing a full-scale listen to what the band can do, with and without vocals. The track is mostly an instrumental, with just a bit of vocal work; all of which are amazing. I love how the track just stops, as the ending. Usually I find it eruptive and taking value from the album, but it fits so well here; kudos to the band for finally getting the cut off ending right.

Overall, the album is really good, especially for a debut album. This is an album that will appeal to many Metalheads as there is more than just Doom intertwined throughout the music. "From The Clutches Of Oblivion" is a great album to add to your collection.<