By: AvNatten

Posted: Nov 8, 2005

Lee Dorian is back again with "The Garden Of Unearthly Delights", the latest release from the mighty Coventry, UK based Cathedral. It continues the sound and direction Cathedral had on some of their earlier albums but this time around the band have gone further and expanded, while pushing their limits. Dorian's vocals are joined on this release by guitarist Gary "Gaz" Jennings, bassist Leo Smee, and drummer Brian Dixon.

The album begins with the evil sounding intro 'Dearth AD 2005' and catapults into the rocking grooves of 'Tree Of Life & Death', which hits you in the face with its grooves and riffs, over which Dorian's familiar voice spews forth the lyrics. The longest track, entitled 'The Garden' clocks in at around 27 minutes. Throughout those minutes the listener is greeted with lots of diversity, female vocals, folk elements, psychedelic throwbacks, and of course Cathedral style heaviness. Around the 18 minute mark Dorian speaks his lyrics over a droning violin which adds even more atmosphere to the track, only once again, to break back down into a heavy groove, but the violin stays along and trades off solos with the guitar, and sounds quite pleasing to my ears. 'North Berwick Witch Trials' has a heavy stoner groove and is one of my personal favorites from the disc.

The production on the album is superb, everything is clear and upfront. Not even the tiniest voice effect goes unheard. Dorian spits forth his unmistakable vocals just as we expect. The instruments and guitar tones are heavy and droning with a warm sound without becoming too fuzzy or indecipherable. The hooks and grooves on the album will stay in play in your mind long after you've finished listening to the disc. This is not standard doom or standard stoner rock on any scale. Cathedral are offering an album chock full of amazing songs that will have everyone's heads nodding along to their grooves and I do not believe that any fan will be let down.

Rating: 9/10

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