Band:	Occultation
Album:	Silence In The Ancestral House
Style:	Doom metal
Release date:	October 14, 2014
A review by:	R'Vannith

01. Intro
02. The First Of The Last
03. Laughter In The Halls Of Madness
04. All Hallow's Fire
05. The Place Behind The Sky
06. The Dream Tide
07. Intermission
08. Forever Hereafter
09. Silence In The Ancestral House

Occultation's doom metal eludes expectations. Contained in Silence In The Ancestral House, the occult receives an unusually mixed meaning.

Considering the predictions of style and sound that the name likely conjures, it's surprising that early Iron Maiden would find themselves well at home here in the gallop of cuts like "The Place Behind The Sky". So, for purposes of orientation, where is "home" in this case? It isn't easy to make out the location of the Ancestral House through all the inspirational fog of King Crimson prog and traditional heavy metal infused into a mysterious and stylistically ambiguous locale, as doom dwells in the setting in a quaint yet original interpretation of metal. Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Mercyful Fate, all of these seem to have had an influential hand in the plot as it takes its time in each track to unfold. Occultation emits a strange sound on this record, as if it's built from myriad foundations, with its more up-tempo and mildly psychedelic variant rock and NWOBHM borrowings devilishly dancing in the down-tempo doom. Consequently, it's with a surprising sense of individuality that Occultation perpetuate the occult aesthetic, with the notable distinction of a characteristically ghoulish feminine vocal presence. A common occurrence in metal is this occult representation, of which this band's sophomore maintains well in Silence In The Ancestral House, yet it's cast anew, and represents an attempt to break through quietened originality with an obvious sense of purpose.

Occultation deliver more under their name than it might suggest in itself. It's evident from an initial listen that they aren't merely a participant in a fad, or simply another unoriginal entry into the occult thematic. The guitar patterns structuring this record are distinct, unusual and carry an individual tone about them that promote either longer doom derived segments or lighter leaping licks in conjunction with lively present bass and often more playful and irregular rhythms expected from a doom context. Listening to "Laughter In The Halls Of Madness" is actually as odd an experience as the name suggests; from the midsection in particular, the song sets off into an infectious disco like beat. For a fleeting moment it would seem Sabbath were susceptible to Saturday Night fever.

The downside to all this peculiarity is the disparity in the mix. Instrumentally and vocally the performance is observably fascinating and engaging, yet at times, and despite their audibility, it's as if the musicians are recording in their own segregated rooms of the Ancestral House. There's a lack of unity and cohesiveness in the delivery overall, which prevents the record from gelling in a desirable fashion. Such is especially noticeable in the drumming which, creative as it is, often skirts about the rhythm section, leaving little impact with ineffectual clattering and burdening of beats, which becomes particularly pronounced when attempting what is an overabundance of fills which simply feel out of place and overstated in a doom context. To put it more simply; the drums are often unnecessarily busy to the point of distraction in contrast to the general doom tone of the tunes. The elements all echo rather incongruously, despite the generally well established atmosphere and distinctive occult vibe, and the vocals are often caught and conveyed distantly in their attempt to compliment the dexterous and rarely monotonous guitar work. Dexterity and doom aren't always two words readily associated, but here they would be perfectly matched if the musicianship were more tightly presented and in unison throughout.

The conflicting nature of this mix centred on up-tempo inflections of traditional heavy metal and a doom metal basis is what sets this album back, yet, conversely, also what sets it apart in a demonstrably distinctive sound. It's an unusual occurrence indeed.