Band:	Brimstone Coven
Album:	II
Style:	Doom metal, Stoner rock
Release date:	November 02, 2013
A review by:	Mattybu

01. Cosmic Communion
02. Behold, The Anunnaki
03. The Black Door
04. Blood On The Wall
05. The Grave
06. Lord And Master
07. Viking
08. The Seance
09. Hades Hymn
10. The Folly Of Faust

[2014 re-release bonus]
11. Intro
12. We Are Forever
13. The Ancients
14. Son Of The Morning
15. LoSt In The oDyssey
16. Children Of The Sun
17. Outro

Brimstone Coven is one of those bands that is hard for me to not enjoy. Like, really hard.

Basically, these guys play a mix of rock and the old-school type of doom you can hear on the first few Black Sabbath albums. It's not entirely original, but it works well, plain and simple. In a way, the degree to which I can enjoy this band is a testament to how solid of a foundation the old masters like the aforementioned Black Sabbath laid out. There's an abundance of good riffs, a very smooth flow to the music that makes it quite easy to get immersed in, and in general a great sound. Unlike a lot of what is out there these days, the jams Brimstone Coven get into sound very organic, almost as though there are real human beings playing the instruments. Imagine that.

There's quite a bit of content on this album as well. II, or at least the version of II this review is about, is a re-recording of the band's 2013 full-length that also includes the tracks from their first EP as bonus tracks. It's interesting to hear how the band's sound changed and evolved since the first EP, and it's quality level is right up there with the full length. A succulent and plentiful package, overall.

The fact that these guys have clear influences will probably bother some people, but to me it's another clear case of the goods being delivered regardless of originality. Which isn't to say Brimstone Coven isn't original in any way. They combine a few different old school sounds and mix everything together in a big pot of great riffs, atmosphere, and a nice occult vibe.

As mentioned in the beginning of the review, it was hard to not enjoy this album. I assume since being picked up by Metal Blade, Brimstone Coven now have nowhere to go but up. The re-recorded package of II is proof they've got the skills, so the next steps they take should be interesting.