ISCHEMIC is a Canadian blackened doom metal band who formed in 2012. This self titled release is their second full length album. They have also released two demos and an EP. ISCHEMIC is one of the more promising bands out there that combine black and doom together. Even for such a combination, the band is dark. Their music is the equivalent of being sucked into a black hole and spat out into a hell dimension.

But despite how dark and evil they might sound, their ability to let the riffs speak for the songs while complimenting the atmosphere is what really makes them special. They don't need long keyboard laden ambient passages or elaborate theatricals to get their point across. It's just four dudes playing blackened doom to their hearts content. It is passionate and real...just how doom should be. The first track "Scabs" is over six minutes in length but is the shortest track of the album's four. As such, it serves as a great overview of the rest of the album. The sinister riffs hit hard, accented by the cymbals. A slow galloping doom riff enters the fray while the bass holds down the low end for the lead guitar to throw down some extra layers. How deep is that bass once the vocals kick in and the song speeds up? IMMENSE.  The guitar solo and riff about halfway thru the song have a slight traditional doom feel to them but obviously much much more acidic.

"Crawl Out Of Hell" sounds exactly like the title would suggest.  The riffs and bass scrap against the song like some lost soul breaking fingernails against the charred walls of the damned. The riffs around the 3:30 mark are disturbing like some kind of twisted up form. The six minute mark has the band stirring the beginnings of what passes as melody for them—-make no mistake, the song doesn't gain a light heartened mood from this.  The last few minutes of the song alternate from lumbering best to slow moving dirge all wrapped up in a raw powerful blackened form. The band's grasp on both black and doom metal's elements and sound is impressive as it is scary.

"Illusion of Humanity" is, at times, a murky track especially with the bass wrapping itself around the songs atmosphere. The tempo of this one isn't quite as slow but still has thick doom riffs. The lead guitar is effective in upping the sense of urgency and danger in the song. Around the 5:15 mark the song slows to a crawl but the lead guitar keeps going. This pulls the focus to the overall song itself-an experiences that is probably the same sensation one would get lost in a cave...truly devoid of light. The trepidation and anxiety continues as the drums and riffs work their way through to the end.

The final track, "Scattering Garden" is a 22 minute long monster. The first few minutes are almost gentle with the smattering of clean guitar and bass tones. I love a good long intro for a doom song and this had that and more. The riffs, vocals...every part of the song to this point is slow, cautious and harrowing. Just the way I like it. Around the 9 minute mark the song speeds up for a punishing moment before returning to the clean tones of the songs beginning. A blackened snarl breaks through and the slow rumbling of the bass and drums come back in force. At the 16 minute mark the bass leads the way supported by the drums and dismal but oddly beautiful guitar.

As far as I'm concerned this is the best song the band has written. It goes without saying but "Ischemic" is the best release so far as well. If you're interested in black or doom metal at all, you owe it to yourself to check this out.