Under the holy veil of BLACK SABBATH, the grave teaching of THE LAMP OF THOTH and the merciful guidance of PAGAN ALTAR, a new child was born in the distant land of Tasmania, Australia: THE WIZAR'D is thy name and don't care about the apostrophe in front of the letter "D"; it's about a besetting sin that seems to bring luck and prosperity to this blessing quartet. Ol' Rusty Vintage Wizard, Blackie the Crimson Heretic Of A Thousand Eyes, Tangerine Dream and Iron Tyrant release the second full-length album and the omens are likely to be good in their case. The purple flames licking the album's occult cover are waiting to see if your souls are strong enough to handle this classical Doom content and if you declare familiar to bands like REVEREND BIZARRE, ST VITUS and WITCHFINDER GENERAL, you can pass their path and hope not to die!

The traditional Doom killer riffs, the Victorian occultism that many bands from the United Kingdom carry on their backs lately and the pure Metal characteristic with the old-fashioned sound are some of the virtues that these Australians possess and the success is at a cigarette distance. Through the 33 minutes of "Pathways Into Darkness" you can find 7 tracks full of inspiration and the pompous element that many Doom bands put in their sound, avoiding the slow-tempo boredom. In my favourites there is the album opener and self-titled track that shows its teeth from the very beginning with its 80s vintage melodic tunes, and also, the haunting "Living Dead" that its characteristic theme is unpacked directly from your worst nightmares. Ol' Rusty's reading is innovative, reminding me some times The Overtly Melancholic Lord Strange's vocals and others, Terry Jones', or even Algy Ward. Nevertheless, "Frankie's Dungeon" became one of my all-time-Doom-classics songs and I'm not sure if this could happen with a proportional Doom band of the 00s; occult vibe, misery and despair in the absolute combination and a quavery interlude guitar solo, two minutes before its end, just marvellous.

THE WIZAR'D from Tasmania opened once and for good the gates for the underworld and the decision is absolutely yours to step yourself in or stand still without participating. The flaxen-haired daughter is staring powerless to resist against death's tempting face anyway. The 'Pathways into Darkness' are covered by Doom tunes and melancholic guitars with the accompaniment of a trumpet voice. Hurry up though, there are only 666 hand-numbered copies of "Pathways Into Darkness" and yeap, the number is not accidental. Whatever your decision may be, thank God, you've THE WIZAR'D by your side.