Blood Ceremony

The spooky, deeply magical wonder that is The Eldritch Dark is Toronto, ON-based Blood Ceremony's third full-length record, and unquestionably their finest to date. Fusing the rich, sumptuous tones of the best doom metal with smoky, sanguine occult rock, Blood Ceremony begin with a solid aesthetic and add just enough flourishes to transform it into something wholly unique. Frontwoman Alia O'Brien's sweet, enveloping voice draws the listener in like how a bright will-o'-the-wisp entices a lost soul into a fog-drenched grove — entirely seduced, you only realize you're trapped once the fairies and daemons seize you. Trills of her animated, evocative flute add a bright, sharp element to Sean Kennedy's fat, fuzzy guitar tones and Lukas Gadke's sinuous bass lines. The swelling, often eerie chords of the organ also add a slightly ominous quality, making the experience of exploring the songs akin to wandering the halls of a gothic mansion. The atmospheres and textures of The Eldritch Dark are strange and varied, from the tender melancholy of "Lord Summerisle" to the writhing excitement of "Drawing Down The Moon." A daring and decadent series of witch rituals, The Eldritch Dark is one of the finest examples of the doomy occult-rock resurgence.