SORCERER is a Swedish heavy/doom metal band that formed in 1988. Despite their long history, they didn’t release their first full length album until 2015, although they did release a couple demos and compilations. Fast forward to 2023 and they have graced us with a near perfect album in their fourth full length release, “Reign of the Reaper.” Their sound balances traditional heavy metal with doom metal—they walk the line between the two often and can cross to either side and back again with ease. It makes for a very compelling song writing approach. Speaking of which, this is quite possibly the catchiest album I’ve heard all year. Every song is a banger with stand out moments.

Anders’ vocals are absolutely fantastic—louds, clear, concise, and a ton of emotion. He gives one hell of a performance on this album. Bravo. Of course, the rest of the band brings the fire too. The bass and drums are a rock solid foundation but also do their part in keeping that rhythm going but setting the songs up for breathing room for the wonderful guitars to shine. The production and mix is balanced—this album sounds like a dream but still very lively without any sterile moments that good production so often brings. With that being said, I think the band’s sound could benefit from being a bit more gritty. The album opens with “Morning Star,” beginning with sharp drums and pounding bass. The guitar soon arrives, bringing with them melodies that get stuck in the brain. The pre-chorus and actual chorus are just as infectious. I love the drums during those moments and after the melodic break comes in between the stanzas, the bass really boosts the guitar up.

The title track is slow and heavy yet still glows with the soaring vocals and deadly melodies. The riffs themselves have a nice groove to them and the drums compliment the slower approach with their own grooves. The solo after the halfway point is scorching and brings the song to a rising climax that ends with a more extreme vocal approach. I wish that vocal style was used more often, it sounds very good and helps offset some of the melody. “Curse of Medusa” fires right out of the gate with guitar harmonies and rapid riffs that hurtle the song forward. The keys go along way in accenting the song and are very well placed. The chorus brings back some of the doom with thick riffs but those vocals keep it all very memorable.

“Unveiling Blasphemy” is one of my favorites on the album—a doom mini epic for sure! The riffs bury into the brain—unrelenting in the beginning. The best part of the song is the insane guitar solo and the passage that comes right after–slow, melodic and emotive that rides back into the chorus for a strong finish. “Break of Dawn,” finishes out the album and it is a fantastic song. It has such a sprawling, grandiose feel to it. The guitars play a lot of interesting notes, using the slower tempo to be a lot more methodical in approach. The song gets ultra hammer heavy during the solo, the rhythm guitar and bass just dropping bombs as the lead guitar rips through the atmosphere.

SORCERER’s “Reign of the Reaper” is a compelling and engrossing album that also manages to be catchy with many memorable moments. Fans of traditional/doom metal will definitely find a lot here to enjoy. For those who avoid metal because it is often too extreme, they would do well to check this out as well.