Album Review: Sorcerer - Reign Of The Reaper

Despite my affection for things that are melancholy, I don't often find myself listening to or enjoying much in the realm of doom. One of the rare exceptions to that was when Sorcerer released "The Crowning Of The Fire King", which blended doom and classic metal in such a way I couldn't deny it. It was epic and heavy, but also melodic, and it didn't drag along on tempos too slow to enjoy. I suppose that means it wasn't doom enough to be the kind of doom I don't enjoy, but let's not get caught up too much in the nomenclature. The point is that Sorcerer proved they could do something few bands could.

That made it rather disappointing when "Lamenting Of The Innocent" failed to capture me in the same manner. That record, for whatever reason, simply didn't have the same staying power. The question I found myself with was asking which of the two was the anomaly, which is what we're here to answer today.

The title track is a prime example of what leaves me a bit confused by Sorcerer. It has a slow build to an epic chorus, which is great. Then it completely stops as one riff transitions to the next, and the solo comes in shredding. Then it introduces some growling vocals in the coda. Bringing various influences into the mix is a good thing, but there needs to be more cohesion about when and how you do it. For instance, the shredding solo after the song slows to a crawl makes no sense at all. If the riff had been building in tempo, then it would be justified. Instead, it feels like it comes out of nowhere, and it gives the song more of a 'pieced together' aura.

The thing that gets me the most is (and this will sound weird coming from me of all people) the lack of focus on massive guitar riffs. While I love melodic choruses as much as anyone, doom like this needs to have those huge, epic riffs you can 'duh duh duh' to yourself like Beavis & Butthead used to do. Those are why Candlemass has long been one of the first names anyone mentions when it comes to doom, and the comparison makes Sorcerer sound like they are missing out on a key element to this sound. Without those riffs, there's an argument to be made that this is just slower alternative rock.

If I view the album through that lens, it makes more sense to me. Everything is focused on making the melodies stand out as much as possible, which leads us in interesting directions. It does give us rousing choruses, but it also leaves the album feeling less heavy than it actually is. The other aspect is that the slower tempos suck energy out of the melodies, so while they are aiming for grandeur, they lose some of their bite as it takes longer for each note to transition to the next. There's a reason why bands often play their songs faster in a live setting, and it's because it's harder to get invested when the tempos don't match the type of melody you're going for.

This record feels like it wound be more comfortable, and more effective, if you increased the bpm by a handful on nearly every song. Maybe it wouldn't be as much doom, but I think it would be a more memorable experience. As it is, Sorcerer sounds like expert professionals, but the songs don't cut with the same level of surgical precision. This makes two albums in a row where I'm left wondering what it was about "The Crowning Of The Fire King" that made it so special.