VESSEL OF LIGHT is a two-piece American Doom Metal outfit, featuring Dan Lorenzo (HADES, NON-FICTION, THE CURSED) on guitar and bass plus Nathan Opposition (ANCIENT VVISDOM) on drums and vocals. Last year, I reviewed their self-titled EP and was blown away by the duo's crafty song writing, meaty songs, and thick riffs.  So how does their second release, and their first full length, "WOODSHED," stack up to the standards they set the first time around? Without a doubt, everything about their EP has been expanded and raised up quite a few notches. Opposition and Lorenzo have really grown as an exciting song writing duo; despite the fact their other bands/projects don't sound anything alike, the two have found common ground on this violent and dark Doom Metal release.

The lyrical concept is based upon a murderer and his plan to kill in the name of God, complete with torturing his victims and the mental breakdown that follows suite. It is definitely a subject matter not for the faint of heart but one that also propels the heavy songs to a special black corner of the universe where creepy and death both reign over a tattered kingdom. Despite the subject matter and the perpetual crush machine that is Lorenzo's riffs, the album retains a sophisticated classic feel to it, akin to the first few DANZIG albums.  The album also definitely benefits from the music telling much of the story as the lyrics.  There have been very few albums this year where the lyrics and music meld together so perfectly as presented on these eleven tracks.  This two-piece definitely sounds like a much larger band this time around, so full is the sound and impeccable is the production.

The lyrics wouldn't matter as much if they were delivered poorly but Opposition doesn't have to worry about that at all.  His range is extended further than ever before, and he really does sing his ass off, his vocals being as important to the songs as the instruments themselves.  Whether he uses a mid-range voice, a lower hum, near spoken word passages, or the occasional growl, he carries the weight of the story upon his shoulders. Lorenzo himself provides backup vocals on "Part of My Plan," and it made me wish he had a bit more vocal presence on the album.   I suppose he speaks in his own way, what with the catchy main riff on the song and the steady rhythmic crunch during Opposition'svocal passages.

The album is paced incredibly well; all the songs are where they need to be and there isn't any filler.  The nine main tracks are capped on each end by two very different tracks that couldn't sound further apart but yet they fit into the puzzle together.  "Woodshed," is barely two minutes long and serves as both an intro yet a complete song.  It begins with clean guitar and Oppositon's lower voice before the crushing weight of Doom distortion sinks in.  It is a great lead to the next track and gives a brief overview of the rest of the album.  The last track, "Pray For A Cure," is acoustic but it isn't any less dark or heavy for it. Lorenzo is as apt playing clean as he is riffing his fingers to pieces and Oppositon shows he has quite the wonderful singing voice that can go with anything.

"Son of Man" opens with one of the best guitar riffs I've heard all year, made all the more better by Oppositon's gritty vocal attack and his solid drumming. Lorenzo's bass compliments everything about the songs, a massive throbbing buzz of weight that glues it all together. Personal highlights for me were the tracks, "Man's Sin" and "Day of Rest," both of which are modern day Doom classics.  Each song is filled with everything that I enjoy about Doom: groove filled, head banging riffs, hazy yet caustic vocals, and a darkness that swallows everything.

VESSEL OF LIGHT's "WOODSHED" is an album that envelopes the listener in a world ruled by two guys who have honed their song writing prowess to a very sharp point.  Not only did they avoid the so called "sophomore slump" but have raised the bar for themselves and modern-day Traditional Doom Metal.