Review of Ramesses - The Tomb

The post Electric Wizard project of Tim Bagshaw and Mark Greening has gotten off to a productive start and continues in fine form on The Tomb. Together with trio rounding bassist/vocalist Adam Richardson, Ramesses produced a split and a couple 7-inches before releasing their debut EP We Will Lead You To Glorious Times a mere seven months ago. That effort was a very impressive start for a young band, despite the pedigree of its members, but didn’t seem to generate the attention it deserved. Clearly a persistent and motivated bunch, Ramesses wasted no time cooking up another vicious batch of sludge laden doom to thrust under the noses of the metal community, and it’s only a matter of time until more people take notice of this band.

Ramesses picks up exactly where it left off on …Glorious Times, and The Tomb is another solid 30 minutes of bitter, caustic doom that’s thick and sludgy enough to choke a horse and then tea bag the unfortunate beast as it’s writhing and struggling on the ground. There are some minor differences, but overall the two releases fit together well and combine to one outstanding hour of doom--Not a bad output for 2005. Ramesses has typically eschewed the hazy, psychedelic brand of doom, instead dealing out murky clouds of swirling, organic vitriol. However, the closing track, the improvised ten minute instrumental “Unholy Outburst #3" begins as an extended, spacey psychedelic, Sabbath by way of Hendrix jam before devolving into a roiling, hateful drone. Billy Anderson, who remastered the previously released tracks for …Glorious Times, ably handles the production, giving the album a similarly gritty sound that serves the spirit of the material.

The Tomb kicks off with the title track, which opens with a quiet, building riff before throwing itself onto a grenade, exploding into a violent charge of bigass riffs and Richardson’s biting snarls. The riff work is utilitarian but entirely satisfactory, providing work that is as repetitive as it is heavy. Greening is creative but economical behind the drums, keeping things simple at times and running all over the structure at others. “Omniversal Horror” utilizes extensive dialogue sampling overtop of some of the tastiest of the monolithic riffs, creating a foreboding mood and anticipation of the buildup to Richardson’s arrival, which eventually takes place with an awesome echoing, fade in. The vocals on the song are less guttural but equally intense, as Richardson repeats the command “All rise-- Masters of depression”. The previously mentioned “Unholy Outburst #3” closes the set, and although the progression is subtle, The Tomb gradually works its way from its most muddy and heinous to a slightly more clear but equally enthusiastic and commanding approach.

Along with the impending new album from YOB, Ramesses will no doubt dominate the playlist of fans of the style. Some listeners may need some time to become accustomed to the raw, acerbic style of Ramesses, but the band is entirely worth the effort. With any luck the band will bring their show on the road in the US sometime soon.

Release Details

Ramesses

The Tomb

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