Released by: Metal Blade Records
Release Date: March 4th, 2014
Genre: Psychedelic Rock/Doom Metal
Links: https://www.facebook.com/MountSalem
Line Up:
Emily Kopplin- vocals & organ
Kyle Morrison- guitar
Mark Hewett- bass
Cody Davidson- drums
Tracklist:
1. Good Times
2. The Tower
3. Lucid
4. Full Moon
5. Mescaline
6. Mescaline II
7. Hysteria
8. The End
Female fronted doom act Mount Salem make there big label debut with the re-issue of an EP with some new tracks.
Opening track ‘’Good Times’’ is the best here with its scuzzed out White Hills vibe.
They seem to trying everything on the rest on album to find a style, they incorporate creepy organs, which don’t feel integral to the sound like a band like Abysmal Grief where they reign supreme and create an atmosphere.
The album as an EP with two new tracks added on, mescaline ii particularly. The newer material obviously works better as songs but makes for mixed bag of a release. A decent start but not as convincing as Second Grave or Mist when it comes to female fronted doom acts who are also starting out like Mount Salem.
Doom metal works best when the riffs are huge, to add organs general weirdness and personality look no further than the Italian bands like the aforementioned Abysmal Grief and Black Hole.
Mount Salem is trying to be both traditional with touches of progression but it doesn’t quite convince at this stage. The vintage sound and gear is great and certainly welcome but without the songs it’s more doom lite than doom metal.
Written by Garry
Ratings Garry 4/10
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