The Gates of Slumber
Conqueror
Rating
Style: Doom/Stoner
Release date: May 23rd 2008
 

The music that this band hailing from the U.S. plays can best be described as a mixture between bands such as: St. Vitus, Black Sabbath, Cirith Ungol and perhaps some old Manowar. Fortunately the songs differ in tempo now and then. The best songs are those that have some more tempo.

The band has rather epic songs with bluesy and sludgy Sabbath riffs. The stoner influences like in the song "Ice Worm" are never far away. Opening riff of the song "Children of Satan" strongly reminds me of St. Vitus/Candlemass. The song is one of the fastest battle-hymns on the album. With the variety in their songs the band is not your dime a dozen doom metal band. Take a song like "The Machine", which even sounds like early Iron Maiden. They bring in enough variety between the songs. Still it is a long way, travelling through more than 60 minutes of music.

The musicians do an average job, however their vocalist Karl Simon sometimes makes my toes curl. I guess it's the kind of singer you either love or hate. In some songs his style fits the music, in others they sound a bit irritating. Final conclusion; doom with variety for fans who also need some tempo and like the bands I mentioned above.


Tracklist
01. Trapped in the Web
02. Conqueror
03. Ice Worm
04. Eyes of the Liar
05. Children of Satan
06. To Kill and be King
07. The Machine
08. Dark Valley Suite
I.  Black River I
II.  Lines written with the knowledge that I must die
III. Call of the Black Gods
IV. Black River II
Label: I Hate Records
Provided  by:    I Hate Records
Distribution: www.Ihate.se
Reviewed by: Reinier de Vries
Date: January 4th 2009
Website: The Gates of Slumber @ MySpace