Christian Mistress - Possession (2012)

Now this is a pleasant surprise. The delightfully named Christian Mistress are a cute metal package wrapped up like some '80s New Wave Of British Heavy Metal and yet they are as fresh as a daisy, 'Possession' being the bands second opus after their 'Agony & Opium' record. Some are praising this as the album of the year - now, I wouldn't go that far, but Christian Mistress are quite a band. What's si impressive is their stripped down sound which takes influence from late '60s, early '70s and early '80s style of heavy music - a touch of psychedelia, a hint of doom, a thick wedge of classic metal, but in vocal goddess Christine Davis, Christian Mistress have a completely different angle on the metal approach. Whilst the five-piece effortlessly squeeze out a dark edged style of metal, Christine provides an almost sultry, smokey and at times very laid back and silky style of vocal. At most times she graces the doomy riffs bringing to mind the trippy subtlety of Jefferson Airplane, particularly on the tumbling black waterfall of 'There Is Nowhere' a modern metal amsterpiece with its simmering beginnings then raging riffs. On a track like 'Conviction' the band just rage hard throughout, I'm stirred within, finding myself reaching for my old Coven albums such is the antique feel of this. It sounds so old yet so fresh, nimble on its feet yet oaken in its rawness. there are no thrills here whatsoever, not a gimmick in sight, just pure rock n' roll with that silky vocal that soars high above the forest of sound. Sparbel and McClain's guitars are rich yet so classic sounding, the drums of Storey never let up. There is a strong '70s groove running throughout, Christian Mistress often changing moods, from the Zeppelin-style fantasy of 'All Abandon' with its wistful acoustics ad dark heart, to the riveting Thin Lizzy-style groove of 'Over & Over' with its killer guitars. Christine really shines on this track, probably her most bruising vocal on the album, and yet she still caresses the soul, whilst the wickedly titled 'Pentagram & Crucifix' has a doom-laden plod about it, pure witchery. Relapse Records should do all they can to promote these guys, because they could really gain a cult following, and again, in Davis, a vocalist with gold-coated tonsils. 8/10