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Orthodox: Baal

06/10/11 || gk

Formed in 2004, Spain’s Orthodox has been quietly creating some of the most challenging and progressive doom metal in the underground over the course of three albums. Often mixing the crawl of Sleep with a Melvins like creativity and never afraid to experiment with everything from avant garde free jazz to Ennio Moriccone like soundtracks. In fact, the band’s last album 2009s massive “Sentencia” was basically one song that sounded like a tribute to Moriccone and another epic 20 minute plus song that mixed a dark doom aesthetic with free jazz and fearless experimentation. I’d say fearless is a good word to describe this Spanish trio as they seem completely free of genre restrictions and experiment with songwriting and structures while always bringing the doom.

Baal opens with “Alto Padre” and it feels like the band are starting from where they left off in “Sentencia” with a dark avant garde jazz feel to the song but it’s with “Taurus” that Baal really takes off with a doom metal song that is heavy as fuck and dark with Marco’s anguished bellowing taking the song into slightly uncharted and disturbing territory before guitarist Ricardo comes in with a solo out of nowhere and the band float into a space rock jam that veers between contemplative and soft and heavy doom as the band alternate between a delicate rhythm and the original lumbering doom riff to great effect. “Intromantes” is the album highlight with another slow and lumbering riff with drummer Borja pounding away on the kit and along with Marcos’ bass playing, fills in the empty spaces left by the huge slow riffs that Ricardo pulls out as the song transitions seamlessly from slow and lumbering to faster tempos and back again with the vocals getting more and more tortured before the song ends with a captivating instrumental section that is intricate and really heavy at the same time. “Hani Ba’al” is probably the most accessible song here with riffs straight out of Wino’s book and a general The Obsessed feel to the song with even Marco’s vocals taking on a comparatively softer approach. “Ábrase la Tierra” is the epic album closer and just the opening heavy as fuck rumble was enough to bring a huge smile to my face but the song just builds and builds from slow and tortured with an almost black ambient feel to its eventual climax of noise with feedback, crashing cymbals and a thick rumbling bass hidden deep in the mix.

Orthodox has outdone themselves on “Baal.” The 5 songs here bring the bands diverse influences together and makes for one captivating listen as the band expand the horizons of the genre with some jaw dropping creativity and panache. The music may not be for everyone. Even fans of doom metal might baulk at the vocals and that guitar tone that Ricardo employs might take some getting used to but while Orthodox have always been a band to challenge preconceived notions here they manage to do it in a manner that makes for great songs and an album that is frightening in its cohesiveness and depth in songwriting. “Baal” is Orthodox at its best and while it may not necessarily appeal to everyone, the band deserves to be heard.

Information
Released: 2011
Label: Alone
Website: Orthodox MySpace
Band
Marco Serrato Gallardo: bass, vocals
Ricardo Jimenez Gomez: guitars
Borja Diaz Vera: drums

Tracklist
01. Alto Padre
02. Taurus
03. Intromantes
04. Hanin Ba’al
05. Abrase la Tierra

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