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When it comes to doom, longtime bassist and songwriter for Swedish doom metal band Candlemass, Leif Eding, has been one of the godfathers. The band has seen its fair share of ups and downs, going on hiatus twice and returning stronger with new life each time. When it comes to his personal life, the endless work Eding put into his music forced him to take a break before Christmas in 2014 after collapsing due to chronic fatigue syndrome. The Doomsday Kingdom was the outcome of this breakdown, with Eding using it as an outlet despite being encouraged to relax on doctors orders.
A small taste of what is to come with its four tracks, and Eding was inspired by the skull-laden catacombs of Paris. Opening up with title track, The Never Machine, vocalist Niklas Stålvind has a presence like a strong gust of wind backed by a storm of crunching bass and thunderous riffs from guitarist Marcus Jidell. Eventually, Stålvind‘s voice soothes in the aftermath of the storm and is accompanied by an inspired guitar solo by Jidell.
The slow pounding by drummer Andreas (Habo) Johansson at the beginning of The Spectre brings for a monster of a riff by Jidell, where his guitar wizardry stands out. With a doomy riff to follow, the band arrive at full speed firing all cylinders.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA66HmD5hKo]
Zodiac City is the most haunting song on the EP, with the subject matter delving into the infamous Zodiac Murders. This slow burner fits in well with the vintage seventies sound and guitar tones, providing a bluesy coolness without any loss of the doom element. Stålvind provides the scares, letting out some evil screams towards the end of the track as if straight out of a horror film. Ending with the solemn acoustic guitar of The Whispering, one can only look forward to the full length set for 2017. With four songs all running past the six-minute mark, we are destined for some epic doom from one of the best in his field.
