Cathedral - Endtyme

1. Cathedral Flames
2. Melancholy Emperor
3. Requiem for the Sun
4. Whores to Oblivion
5. Alchemist of Sorrows
6. Ultra Earth
7. Astral Queen
8. Sea Serpent
9. Templars Arise! (The Return)

Cathedral's sixth record, released in 2001, is hands down my favorite. The oppressively heavy intro "Cathedral Flames" is the slowest, heaviest thing they've ever done. Which is to say it's well... REALLY fucking slow and heavy. It, in essence, sets the tone for the entire record. Not since Forest of Equilibrium had Cathedral made anything so slow, down-tuned and depressed. The lyrical tone isn't as personal as Forest, but dark nonetheless. Lee Dorian's vocals are in fine tortured form here, giving us a good idea what's to come with VIIth Coming and Garden of Unearthly Delights (also a great goddamn record). "Ultra Earth" contains the greatest Sabbath riff Tony Iommi never came up with... Gaz Jennings is a riff monster and unloads a shitpile of molten lead. Fuckin' great.

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