I’m known as a fan of doom metal, that wonderful styling birthed first by Black Sabbath, now being preached from stages all over the world. There has been a rise in bands performing this wonderfully dismal music over the past few years, seemingly coinciding with Sabbath’s increasing recognition as modern metal’s true father. (Could you imagine Ozzy in a Darth Vader mask, saying to Metallica,”Lars…I am your father”?) Many of these bands lean more to the fantasy side of the lyrical world, drawing from the world of Dungeons and Dragons. I personally love this style. It’s very reminiscent of the late Ronnie James Dio and that’s always a good thing.
However, there are those bands that dip into the darker side of life. Lyrics that are rooted in real evil. No pretend wizards for these bands. No, these songwriters look to the demons that live among us, those wicked individuals that sow fear in otherwise blissful communities. Of these, my favorite has to be The Church of Misery.
I found these guys by accident, while perusing digital albums that were on sale on Amazon’s music site. There, among so many forgotten Norwegian Death Metal bands, was TCOM’s THY KINGDOM SCUM. I gave it a sample listen, decided I liked enough to spend four dollars for it and found myself exposed to some truly terrifying songcraft.
THY KINGDOM SCUM is an homage to some of the worst murderers in modern history, basically taking recordings of their own words and fitting them into musical backgrounds, enhancing their nightmarish existence. This isn’t music for everyone. I only play this particular album on sunny days. It’s that darn good at raising the fright factor.
Musically, it’s fantastic modern doom stylings, straight ought of Japan (of all places). As a long time metal fan (thirty+ years), I often forget about Japan’s love of metal. TCOM reminds me they really do know how to improve on older formulas. Couple it with crisp production and you have yourself an amazingly brutal doom metal band.
As the album winds down, I open the curtains to remind myself the world is still there and the boogie men aren’t lining up in my driveway to brutalize my soul. But, if I ever forget about the reality of horror that some men are willing to inflict on others, I need no more than to give THY KINGDOM SCUM a listen.
Pleasant dreams…
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