Faith - "Blessed?"
(Transubstans Records 2008, Trans039)
Faith - "Blessed?"
(Transubstans Records 2008, Trans039)
From Aural Innovations #40 (September 2008)
The Swedish DOOM band, Faith, is back with their 3rd record. I have not heard their previous ones and sadly did not hear this before we saw them at the Sweden Rock Festival. The band consists of guitar, bass and drums, with violin and key fiddle as guests. It is an interesting mixture of Swedish folk elements (at the beginning and end or mixed in here or there but not that big a part of the sound) with Candlemass like DOOM. The first two songs are really a lot like Candlemass but not as heavy and with not as good of vocals. Next up is Polka Doom track that is really inspired by a band like Hedningarna and very cool stuff. Necropolis is a longer darker track with these cool like distant vocals like monks singing in a big church, at times combined with normal singing. A lot of time changes and complexity in this number. Twilight is very melodic and epic in nature. Great ending. Condemned is a really different track from all the rest so far and is probably the one the radio might play. Father Pious goes back to the roots of their DOOM and very Candlemass inspired. Never got to Know is one of the few songs to feature any lead guitar work and he plays a beautiful solo. Why not on any of the other songs? The CD ends with the instrumental Leipzigpolska, one of the really unique tracks on the CD. Cool stuff and very much influenced by Candlemass.
You can find more information from the band's web site at
http://www.faitharmy.com
Check out the record label web site at: http://www.recordheaven.net
Reviewed by Scott Heller