Penance - Parallel Corner (1994)

These guys were much hyped by doom god Lee Dorrian (Cathedral) and clearly come from the same cosmic quagmire, but as 'Words Not Deeds' comes pounding down the mountain, we find this brand of thrashing doom even mightier than the sword that carves it. This is immense metal and not the sort of dreary doom many of us have come accustomed to over the years. With so many Sabbath imitations, or stoner bands, only a handful of acts over the years, after the birth of Sabbath, have carved their own niche or seemed to vomit out a sincere style of doom - i.e. Witchfinder General, Cathedral, Candlemass and now Penance. This rises like some sleepy serpent and causing havoc to the foundations from beginning to its hefty climax - the weight so astonishing and the grooves well ground out, the awesome 'Crosses' and 'Born To Suffer' such free flowing rivers of black that no town could stand in its way. The crashing drums of Smail sometimes reminiscent of other classy doom mongers Confessor in the way the whole sound writhes, contorts, spirals out of control and yet drags the listener into its mire by way of concrete tentacles. Blessed with infinite woe, Penance don't try to make us miserable, they simply hypnotise with their spellbinding brand of gloom before reducing our bones to a pile of rubble. A superb doom metal record.

8/10