Horn Of The Rhino
Weight Of Coronation

Summer is coming, the heat, the sultriness. What could be better than indulging in the laziness of summer with a good granite-like doom album?

It was July 2010 when three Basque musicians from Bilbao spat out this "Weight of Coronation." A flashy name designated them: "Horn Of The Rhino." Until 2009, their name was simply "Rhino," under which they had released two albums, the second of which, "Dead Throne Monarch," was of notable craftsmanship.

At the time, very enthusiastic rumors circulated about this platter, which led me to give it a listen. The fear was encountering yet another metal album praised by critics without reason, as often happens. Enthusiastic opinions shared that contributed to giving these three metallers (Sergio Robles, Julen Gil, and Javier Galvez) a certain visibility in the metallic world of sunlit Spain.

We are faced with power-guaranteed doom metal where the limping specters of sludge and thrash appear. The general atmosphere echoes the gloom of the "middle period," the Middle Ages and its superstitions, legends, and beliefs.

"Weight of Coronation" is a decidedly "tough" work, not easily digestible. The track length weighs heavily, and the proposed genre certainly does not facilitate the assimilation of the songs. For this reason, the first CD from the new Horn Of The Rhino should be approached with the awareness that it is a challenging work. Overcoming initial skepticism, however, guarantees the possibility of fully embracing the eight tracks of the CD. From the epic power of the title track to the "sandpaper-like" psychedelia of "Sovereign", passing through the devastating and sludgy rhythms of the opening "Speaking in Tongues".

An excellent songwriting manages to temper the length of the songs, but despite the high quality, "Weight of Coronation" remains an album for genre lovers. Not being familiar with these sounds can be counterproductive for work of this magnitude.

An absolute boulder, a heartfelt work devoid of the baroque elements of modern doom. There is a lot of stone in the pieces of these three Spaniards, among whom the work of Javier Galvez must be highlighted, delivering an excellent performance behind the microphone. Versatile, expressive, aggressive enough.

An interesting and well-executed mix of "The Gates Of Slumber" and "Reverend Bizarre".

European doom starts again from here...

1. "Speaking In Tongues" (7:37)
2. "Mass Burial Punishment" (10:36)
3. "Sovereign" (10:46)
4. "Throats In Blood" (4:45)
5. "Weight Of Coronation" (5:34)
6. "Southern Beast" (9:12)
7. "Brimstone Breath" (7:51)
8. "Crushed And Dragged To The Swamp" (12:04)