Ranting on insignificance, aging and existential dread while vilifying religious control we find Adelaide, Australia-based traditional doom metal band SOLEMN CEREMONY outspoken and honest as ever on their third full-length album. Rooted deep in the grime of of mid-80’s doom metal sounds and delivered with grizzled, skull-eye’d personality as ever, ‘Chapter III‘ gives us the brunt of it as the artist hones their raw and personalized vision sure to catch the ear of the classicist underground. In some sense if you know this fellowes’ work you’ll know what to expect though this one seems to get it -most- right thus far in terms of feeling, not only in terms of the texture of the work itself but also the energy put into it which thrives in conveying unbroken despair in a relatable voice.

Solemn Ceremony formed circa 2017 by way of one Phil Howlett as his raw ‘old school’ doom metal outlet beyond the venerable (now defunct) Lucifer’s Fall. Because the earliest rumblings of the fellowes’ work runs as far back as the mid-2000’s with (initial) solo project Rote Mare we find some of the tendencies and tones developed there naturally translated into this band’s work ’til it came time to put together a full-lengths worth of songs. At face value and in appreciation of Howlett‘s vocal tone it’d make sense if you’d encountered ‘Solemn Ceremony‘ back in 2018 and initially thought of the Reverend Bizarre, Lamp of Thoth and Minotauri school of neo-traditional doom metal and the slow-going ~8 minute song lengths took it from there. From my point of view his aim carries its own further-back lookin’ interpretation of Scott Reagers-lead Saint Vitus where that first LP (‘Die Healing‘, too) and some healthy admiration for Pentagram‘s ‘Day of Reckoning‘ helped set the standard, diction and dark lyrical honesty as the tradition pulled from in each case. If your standards are set about right there then that self-titled debut will be well met and no doubt the slow strum of the second LP (‘Demise‘, 2022) will produce similar results, though they’d tweaked the formula to be slightly more melodic, featured more leads from session guitarist Kieran Provis (ex-Lucifer’s Fall), and cut some of the song lengths closer to the 5-6 minute mark. The gist of exploring this particularly discography is obvious enough, the fellowe certainly knows who he is and how he’d like this band to sound and that identity is well set, this means expectations for ‘Chapter III‘ are pretty simple: Another one of those.

Of course you’re getting exactly that, a fine Solemn Ceremony album here and for the third time around, though the main remark to make today is that Howlett and the crew that’d put work into ‘Demise‘ have only improved upon that vision here. The old cemeterial dread of 80’s doom metal buzz is further honed with a slightly more analog sounding rhythm guitar tone, a bit more heavy metal swagger (“They Rule the Night”) on a few songs and songwriting that builds itself around slightly more concise lyrics-driven statements. The shape of this album has been highly considered despite the rough and quick feeling of their whole gig and this helps deliver that ye auld arcane doom metal feeling with a personae up front. The best example of this beyond the ear-grabbing opener is probably “Another Lie” where that SST-era Saint Vitus inherent to their sound builds its simple movements in alignment with the vocal cadence that drives the song, leaving the ear to hang on every word throughout. Those words are typically dread-filled and defiant, you’ll have a good sense of just how grizzled the psyche in question is by the end of the title track (“Chapter III”) and this is one of my favorite boons which the artist brings to his work whether in a Lovecraftian setting or a street-level doom metal divulge such as this.

Production is geared up, lyrics are evocative, and the guitar tone is particularly nice… no doubt Solemn Ceremony are delivering their best yet set of songs to date in terms of statement and presentation as the first half of the album buzzes through the simple spiraling stomp of “Arcadia” but the thing that’d helped take me there easier was the much needed point of aesthetic refinement which this albums receives. First the band’s logo proper takes us to that “formed in ’79, first album in ’85” headspace and then of course the sorrowful red skull on the black coast painting from Adam Burke feels entirely well paired with the miserable sorcery happening within. We’ve seen skulls done a few dozen ingenious ways from the artist but this particular image gives the album a distinct color palette while helping to bridge the gap between classic fantasy imagery and something more modern, lightly abstract and evocative enough for this album’s grit and groan. For my own taste the music and the design of this record line up incredibly well, anyhow.

The second half of ‘Chapter III‘ goes primitive on some level, of course “Skull Smasher” embodies its character from the get-go but if you’ve the patience for the whole thing there is a fantastic solo or three traded off in the final third that help bring some extra heavy metal touch to what is otherwise a very simple groove that walks its way up and down the fretboard with menace. Otherwise “King of the Slaves” represents the more complexly woven side of Howlett‘s rhythmic arrangements while likewise showcasing the good instincts of his lead guitarist and how they help to boost the kinda-tuneful reach of this album beyond the last with each interjection (such as the one around ~1:11 minutes in). With each full listen I’d found the leads were a frequent boon to help sustain interest in the plod and punishment of it all. At just about ~44 minutes in length we’re right on the edge of excess for an album with similar pacing and even a few familiar riffs by the end, where it cuts off is exactly where it should’ve though I’d have been just as happy with one less song, much as I appreciate the skull-dragging reach of closer “Unholy Fate”.

The thing that I’d say Howlett and this iteration of Solemn Ceremony gets most right here with all things considered is the level of connection managed, this one feels targeted from one fan to another. At least in the sense that voice of this album speaks conversationally to the traditional doom metal niche and doesn’t mince words, writing slow-dragging and distraught dirges with just enough 80’s heavy metal pounce to to the guitars that it all lands as authentic to the nature of a few specific classics. The balance achieved is uncannily sharp, thoughtfully abreast of the past, naturally askew of the norm and less-than self conscious in doing its own thing. A high recommendation.

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