Already a legend thanks to his work with doom metal pioneers Pentagram, Victor Griffin has little to prove at this point and yet the first album from his new band simply bristles with urgency and confidence. As fans will be expecting, this belongs very firmly in the guitarist’s musical comfort zone of bludgeoning hard rock with an irresistible undercurrent of melancholy and anguish, but there is plenty of diversity on display too.
It certainly helps that Griffin has recruited a stellar lineup of doom alumni to realise his new vision, including bassist Guy Pinhas (Goatsnake/ The Obsessed) and ex-Trouble drummer Jeff Olson, who adds fiery Hammond organ to the overall melee of pentatonic devilry.
But this is the veteran riff-maker’s show and thanks to some beautifully world-weary but soulful vocals and a never-ending stream of monumental riffs, everything from swirling psych metal squalls like Digital Critic and Love Song For The Dying through to a thunderous cover of Jethro Tull’s Teacher and the streamlined Lizzy-isms of Never Surrender confirms that Griffin is master of his domain and on the form of his life.
