Solothus      

Ritual Of The Horned Skulls
Nihilistic Holocaust 2013

Finland has long been known for quality doom death metal bands from the likes of Hooded Menace to the godly Thergothon. The latest entity to carry on this proud tradition is the macabre and subterranean Solothus.  This release is a combination of their 3 song demo and a track from an unreleased split.  A Call To War pounds forward like a zombified gorilla, riffs full of rotten muscles and I am reminded of God Cries era Asphyx.  The riffs slow and become more forlorn.  Then the monolithic chugging guitars rise and batter your ear drums.  Putrid sorrow permeates the opening riffs of Throne Of Bones.  An epic quality possesses the dismal melodies that drift in across the foundation of old school death riffs.  The vocals are grim and necrotic.  My favorite track is Embrace The Cold with its ominous echoing bass guitar that pulses with dread.  A true funeral doom flow and oppressive atmosphere crushes all listeners as the song trudges along in its slothful momentum.  The lumbering, ropey bass line continues on Darkness Gathers Here At Night.  A guitar solo that would make Gregor Mackintosh proud wails out like a baleful banshee before the song creeps into, long languid riffs that are accented by shades of despair.  Solothus creates some decidedly anguished doom death that is both morbid and crushing.  The songs are draped in funeral shrouds stained with the molding decay of fetid corpses.  This is true, underground doom DEATH.