Although they hail from Los Angeles, California, quartet Keen of the Crow represent a style of doom/death metal that I’d regard as mainly European or British.

In fact, I’d say that My Dying Bride is a very direct influence on these guys. For example a song like Burning Away… could easily have been lifted from MDB’s portfolio, and in part this is also true of most of the rest of the 11 songs on ‘Hyborea’.

So, am I trying to say that this is not very original? Well, yeah, Keen of the Crow don’t get points for being the re-inventors of doom. What they do get points for, on the other hand, is the crafting of a whole and homogenous album that stays true to the genre – good, solid craftsmanship that should please most fans of doom.