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Review: Soulmass - Let Us Pray
Soulmass
www.facebook.com/soulmass666
Let Us Pray

Label: Independent
Year released: 2023
Duration: 50:44
Tracks: 7
Genre: Doom/Death

Rating:
4.5/5


Review online: January 31, 2023
Reviewed by: Mjölnir
Readers' Rating
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Rated 4.67/5 (93.33%) (9 Votes)
Review

Soulmass are a bit of a rarity in the metal scene in that all their releases are lyrically based on video games, mostly FromSoft games (Dark Souls, Demon Souls, etc.). Initially, that might make you think they're a gimmicky band, but frankly, they've been one of the better doom/death acts working in the US scene since their debut Despairing Fates, and they've only been getting better with each release. This brings us to their (as of writing) upcoming third album, Let Us Pray, this time taking inspiration from the Lovecraftian nightmare world of Bloodborne, and it not only serves as their best release yet, but easily has the potential to be among the year's best albums.

Musically, Soulmass' biggest strengths have always been remembering to put the death in doom/death and that doom doesn't just mean playing slow, and with this release, I'd say they finally measured the balance between the two styles perfectly. You get heavier, more deathy cuts like opener "A Call Beyond" and the pummeling "Vile Executioner", but many of the tracks tend to go between traditional death metal chugging that runs the gamut from Entombed to Runemagick and slower, moodier segments that sport often stirring melodic leads, all held together by the confident, powerful growls of Lux Edwards to create a work of misanthropic hatred and despair that fits the tone of their lyrical subject perfectly. Despite comparisons to other bands, I think Soulmass sounds more like themselves than anyone else these days, and tracks like "Ominous Prayer" and the massive album closer "Nightmares Reign" are easily among the best they've ever done.

Some people may dismiss the band based on their lyrical themes alone, but I'd like to point out all the other nerd shit the genre steeps itself in and tell them to shut the fuck up as Soulmass drags them through an endless cycle of life and death with music that is as fearsome and beautiful as the worlds they depict and draw inspiration from. Highly recommended.

More about Soulmass...
Review: Principality of Mechanical Violence (reviewed by Mjölnir)
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