ninehertz

Croatians My Pitbull Lucifer achieve something pretty unique here, a genre crossover that isn’t totally crazy but, in its delivery, unexpected. I was sat first time through with a bemused smile upon my face, but you know they are true to the sound and that smile becomes genuine the longer it goes.

There’s a rich atmosphere erected early on, with a nice, full guitar sound that hints at post-metal. But that’s not where it goes, instead into epic doom, almost of a Pallbearer school which sounds vast. The surprise is in the vocals which are trad-doom styled – and more than that, full blown traditional heavy metal cries. It could be Dio here singing for an out and out doom band.

It’s not a vocal delivery style I usually enjoy, but it is done with heart and respect and no lack of skill. It sounds massive as a result. On occasion I have to remind myself and often go back to relisten to the instruments so spellbound I am by the frontman. And here it excels also, with a dash of variety here and there which gives the album life. Mindfood is a great example with its flowery, dazed opening, leading into a strange synth assisted gentle hard rock number with prog overtures, all adding another string to their bow… weird as it is.

It’s back into the doom by its end, by which I’m suitably impressed. The album feels strange at first, but it undeniably works, primarily because both assets, both sides of the vocal/instrument equation are top drawer and skilled, and more so, they combine in a surprisingly seamless manner.