Even as we see pagan elements weaving their ways into much of our media, it’s not terribly often that we’re given something that can come even close to being called ritualistic or even shamanistic when it comes to much of what the metal underground has to offer. While we’ve seen plenty of the pagan threads finding their way into plenty of styles of black metal and the vast majority of folk metal, the realms of doom are wont to every so often dip their toes into the mix to show us what all is still possible within the sound. Some are more leaning towards the tendencies like Zaum, but it’s still few and far between when it comes to qualifying examples. With their fifth full-length album, Sunnata shows us what it means to be masterful at the very concept.
When dealing with something along these lines, an expansive style is something that feels downright essential if you’re to really tap into what it means to be even remotely shamanistic. Intoxicating rhythms and loads of hypnotic pulses play a big part alongside the captivating songwriting to ensure that the listener is well and truly under the spell that the band is putting forth. In the first track alone of “Chasing Shadows” does Sunnata show it off tremendously well with the very whole of the record offering another great example one after another. Eleven tracks that are wreathed with invoking mysticism to the furthest extent, this is easily the densest and most complex work that Sunnata has put forth to date with every given aspect of the genre showing off another side to the band’s well-earned status as a force in doom that is not to be underestimated with all that’s pulled off with “Chasing Shadows” nothing that’s even close to being worthy of looking down on. The experience as a whole is something that defines what it means to be captivating. It is virtually right out of the gate that Sunnata tempts you into its realm with incredibly little able to rip you out of it. Where many might dance around the notion of doom metal with ritualistic tendencies, Sunnata dove in head-first with all that was brought to the table for “Chasing Shadows”.
This is the kind of path that doom metal needs to travel down if we’re to ever get something that can come anywhere close to being considered shamanistic in the genre. Lengthy compositions can certainly become trance-inducing at times, but it is beat for beat throughout the whole of “Chasing Shadows” does Sunnata tap into something else altogether. This has never been an act to underestimate given their track record over the years, and it’s now clearer than ever before just how talented the act truly is.
“Chasing Shadows” releases on May 10th!
LISTEN to advanced tracks from “Chasing Shadows” on Bandcamp here.
LIKE Sunnata on Facebook here.
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