SORCERER: Lamenting Of The Innocent (DOOM): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Although they have only three albums to their credit, including this "Lamenting Of The Innocent" that we are interested in today, Sorcerer is not a band born from the last acid rain. Founded in 1988 around bassist Johnny Hagel and drummer Tommy Karlson, it even figures among the veterans of the Swedish Doom chapel alongside Candlemass, Count Raven or Memory Garden, names evocative of a certain approach to this traditional and epic art, whose heavy metal roots are never erased. Only one demo later, Hagel's departure to Tiamat in 1992, with which he engraved the "Clouds" and "Wildhoney" matrices, precipitated the scuttling of the band whose members were suffering from a lack of motivation anyway.

Eighteen years later, Sorcerer resuscitates. "In The Shadow Of Inverted Cross", published in 2015, launches this time its career for good. But, notwithstanding undeniable qualities justifying the warm welcome he received, one may wonder whether this opus may not have come too late. After "The Crowning Of Fire King" of the same level, what about "Lamenting Of The Innocent"?

After the short intro 'Persecution', 'The Hammer Of The Witches' unsurprisingly revives an epic doom as Candlemass fashioned it on the very underrated "Chapter VI" with the superbly desperate vocals of Anders Engberg (220 Volt) reminding the Black Sabbath of the Tony Martin era. The stage is (well) set for a heavy doom, majestic, powerful and lyrical, where the telluric heaviness is combined with emotions, like on the heart-rending 'Where Spirits Die', where the singer shines again. And when he is accompanied by Johan Langquist, Candlemass's historic voice, for the bony ballad 'Deliverance', the result can only be striking.

Considering the talent gathered per square meter and the stainless Swedish know-how in metal in general and doom in particular, "Lamenting Of The Innocent" is one of those albums that can't arouse the slightest reservation. Reinforced concrete sound fuselage, powerfully chiseled compositions, moving vocal lines of finesse and perfect interpretation ensure a work as elegant as it is gnarled. Of course, the content remains sculpted in pure epic Swedish doom, but the band manages, if not to renew itself, at least to nuance its message by using growls sparingly, by underlining its heavy roots ('Institoris') or by venturing into Rainbow lands (the very progressive 'Path To Perdition').

For those who love darkly melodic contents, "Lamenting Of The Innoncent" is a must, to be placed alongside the latest Candlemass, "The Door To Doom" and offers Sorcerer his most convincing album to date! - Official website

SORCERER

LAMENTING OF THE INNOCENT

METAL BLADE RECORDS

DOOM