Riff-Borne Visions: Slumbering Sun's Powerful Melodic Doom Conjures a "Dream Snake" (Video Premiere)
I may as well be up front here: Slumbering Sun‘s debut album The Ever-living Fire is possibly the best doom album I’ve heard this year, and I admit I missed it on the first go around. Should you also have slept on it, now is the time to fix that. Front to back, it’s an insanely well-done work that accomplishes everything it sets out to do with remarkably clear vision. Blending melodic doom with progressive tinges and even a hint of grunge, the harmonies and creative riffing just hit: and when melodic doom hits, it hits. The band comes with a strong pedigree, featuring members of Destroyer of Light, Monte Luna, Temptress and more–it may as well be a supergroup of Texas doom might. That said, there’s much more than just raw might here; beauty and wonder feature heavily in the band’s righteous sound. Sometimes that comes in the form of heavily vocal-led motifs and other progressive-rock-influenced aspects, and sometimes it comes in the form of hypnotic, mind-altering strangeness. As an example of the latter, we’re premiering the video for “Dream Snake” here, so dive right into a huge slice of their groove and enjoy a tongue-in-cheek tale of some seriously weird shit.
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On this track, as well as the rest of the album, James Clarke (also of Monte Luna) provides lead vocals that are both laconic and incredibly agile, effortlessly adding another melodic layer to the band’s jam while also providing mystical charisma. While big riffs factor into the track, so does a brooding psychedelic factor, bolstered by strings and well-executed pacing. The video itself is an excellent companion to the track with some cool details–note the sick shirts on display (Dust!), the Monte Luna amp–and a funny, but still creepy low-budget horror atmosphere. “Dream Snake” is a delirious, exploratory track that highlights the sheer weirdness–and doom metal magic–intrinsic to Slumbering Sun.
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The Ever-living Fire released February 24th independently, and can be purchased on Bandcamp.
