Spirit Adrift move further away from doom metal and just one year after “Divided By Darkness” they offer us a new album. Lately what started as the personal project of the multi-talented Nate Garrett has now become a normal band, a normal duo actually, with Marcus Bryant on drums.
I must admit that I liked their previous album, but the enthusiasm is subsiding somewhat. But, I don’t want to give the wrong impression, it’s not a bad album but it is obvious that this time their work comes with no surprise and this is completely normal, since these guys from USA ride the same pattern with classic heavy metal, a genre that the most important thing is to have some solid compositions that the fans will enjoy, and not just try to impress with a new sound or style. For me, Spirit Adrift honor their tradition with 8 compositions in an 45’ long album that may not impressive but, at least it is honest.
The band has a Hard ‘n’ Heavy approach, it’s pretty obvious on how they build their compositions, the anthemic attitude that the fans of the classic bands (Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy) will love and strange as it may seem, there’s variety since on one track they show their epic character with heavy drumming (“Battle High”), on another track they add an AC/DC injection (“Screaming From Beyond”) while on the 10’ long “Reunited In The Void” that closes the album they get back to their doom roots (it’s actually the only doom track). Also the album sounds less melancholic this time, there is a -feel good- atmosphere from the band, so you’ll have a good time with a beer in hand too. As a conclusion I can’t say this will be on my top albums of 2020 but the job gets done. Also, on the plus side, I must add the warm production, the fine cover art and the vocal improvement.
