The sound of Sanctus Infernum reminds a bit of a more blackened version of mid-tempo/slow death metal acts like Obituary, only with a more doomy sound. The vocalist has a very over the top, distorted sound which blends with the music perfectly. The music is very dynamic and quite compelling, varying from the slow sludgy tempos to faster death riffing and even some clean passages. And guitarist Mark Anderson knows how to play some decent and fitting solos. All this is delivered with a fine production in which everything sounds crystal clear individually, but combined as a whole it turns into a raw wall of sound.

 

Personally I’ve grown into this self-titled debut record quite a lot. The harsh dark sound really grabs onto me, and I like the way all the aspects of black, death and doom metal are represented in a keen way. If you’re looking for a record with some decent and refreshing yet depressing doom metal, try Sanctus Infernum on for size. It might fit you.