Bonustracks Demo'94
Serenity were one of the representatives of the 90s’ doom metal wave in the UK, an initiative inaugurated by Lee Dorian (Napalm Death) who founded the label Rise Above Records and the seminal act Cathedral with the intention on bringing doom back on English soil as the style had sailed away to distant American and Swedish shores with the passing of years. The guys were also founding members of the other epic doom metal behemoth, Solstice, in the early-90’s, but didn’t last long enough to record an official release under that moniker.
A 3-track demo in 1994 announced their separation from their comrades in Solstice, and the beginning of Serenity. Four new songs were added to those tracks for the production of the album reviewed here which sees the guys treading a very similar path to the one of Solstice; in other words, look no further than the good old epic doom metal spiced with a hefty pinch of poignant elegiac atmospherics ala My Dying Bride. The latter become evident from the get-go once “Black Tears” commences the drama with these heavy sorrowful riffs which are a perfect fit to the excellent emotional clean vocals. This composition is a most evocative representation of the band’s highly atmospheric approach which becomes marginally more dynamic on the short pounding “Change”. The title-track is a masterpiece of sombre classic doom that features several more vivid passages to stir the oppressing mood; a spellbinding symbiosis masterfully pulled out by the band with hard-hitting ship-sinking rhythms and again great vocal performance.
“The Darkest Things” is another highlight with its crushing volcanic riffage which marches unflinchingly producing several more lyrical melodic tunes along the way. “Spirituality” is the next in line impressive doomster, a bit more flexible than the preceding numbers the guys notching up the melody to make it a notable achievement in the solemn, grievous department of the genre. Nothing of the kind on “One for the Red Sky”, a short faster-paced shredder with a superb balladic chorus-carrying stroke. All the way to the closing “I Am With You”, 8-min of pure doom pleasure, lament of the highest order not without the help of the outstanding vocals for the umpteenth time; the man, the name Daniel Savage, is a true talent with a very specific mournful blend which never becomes too dramatic, neither does it lose its steady moody pitch for the sake of more aggressive bravado.
In the end I find the Serenity opus way better than the Solstice debut which was too soporific and melancholic for my taste. Besides, the Solstice effort lacks the aggression and the bite which here the guitar player Lee Baines provides in abundance. The approach is the exact opposite to serene, as a matter of fact; it’s doom with an edge and sharpness, and it was also handsomely displayed on the sophomore “Breathing Demons” a year later. The delivery had gotten a bit more optimistic and volatile, but the heavy riff-formulas were pretty much intact which made all the sadder the fact that this was the last the world heard from the band. Well, not exactly since three years later almost the entire line-up appeared under the name Khang and waved the flag of trad doom for two full-lengths before another change of name occurred, to Lazarus Blackstar where the style shifted towards the even slower, sludgier side of the genre. The guys are still alive and well under that moniker although they are yet to match the magic they once released so effortlessly on their “silent” first coming.
