ORTHODOX is a Drone/Doom/Avant-Garde Metal band, hailing from Spain, and formed in 2004. "Proceed" is the band's eighth full length album, and contains six tracks. "Past Seers" leads off the album. The opening riff is low, fuzzy and gloomy. The sound begins to pick up a bit when vocals are added, but the screamed vocals are just a bit too far in the background. The song picks up even more after the half-way mark, with dancing bass notes along with some spastic leads. The "droning" aspects come mostly from the repeated riffing patterns, especially towards the end.

"Abendrot" is a shorter song that begins with heavy riff accents, staccato at first, then changing to legato. Screams are peppered throughout. This is another song heavy on the droning elements. "Rabid God" begins with faster-moving drums and another heavy, droning riff. Dissonant tones abound along with more screams. The riff ventures out a bit with layers behind it. I like the way song builds, descending into the maelstrom. "Starve" opens with a bleak riff and a decaying state of affairs. The vocals are almost an afterthought on the album, or at least designed in support, instead of being the focal point. It begins to pick up, with some chaotic sounds as the structure loosens, and ends on more dissonant notes.

"The Son, The Sword, The Bread" begins with distorted bass guitar notes, with some string bending. More dissonant tones appear in the background. Lead notes begin to take shape, but the song struggles to form into a central riff until just before the half-way mark. It shifts back pretty quickly to more disarray and clutter. This is an interesting song. It takes advantage of the Avant-Garde side of the genre rather than the droning side. The ending riff is powerful and mighty. "The Long Defeat" is a ten-minute closer. The riff is hardened out of the gates with a slow, filthy grind. The riff begins to climb with energy and enthusiasm leading up to the mid-way mark. Screams appear to mark the end, but it hangs on. Towards the end, the main sound drops with a final scream, and some background elements take the song to completion.

Overall, this was a decent listen, but even for Doom Metal, it was fairly bland and boring. Because Doom Metal can mire in these areas, artists have to work extra hard to make their music interesting in my opinion. For example, they can vary the vocal style, vary the impact the riffs make, or even the sonority of the riffs, or put in ambient passages. To go hard on one style, you have to appreciate their convictions. But this one just failed to make much of a mark on me.