Here we have a supergroup of sorts from doom legends Cathedral and Electric Wizard, none other than Lee Dorrian (vocals), Tim Bagshaw (guitar/bass), and Mark Greening (drums). With the Dead's self-titled debut is of course released on Dorrian's excellent Rise Above Records, a home to many heavy acts, including Lucifer, Uncle Acid & the deadbeats, Ghost, Blood Ceremony, and Witchcraft. The album contains six punishingly heavy songs of crushing doom, as the two Electric Funeral veterans pound away, allowing Dorrian to spew his trademark venom. "Crown of Burning Stars" has so much bottom end, as does "The Cross", each one filled with plenty of fuzz soaked brontosaurus riffs and beefy rhythms, while "Nephthys" has a spooky vibe to go along with slow, delicious riffs that wouldn't sound out of place on an old Black Sabbath, Cathedral, Saint Vitus, or Electric Wizard album. Things get even slower and more dirge like on the massive "Living With the Dead", and Bagshaw cranks up the distortion to 11 on "I Am Your Virus". The trio nears funeral levels on the 8+ minute closer "Screams From My Own Grave", a chilling, nightmarish track littered with tortured moans from Dorrian and excruciatingly slow & heavy riffs from Bagshaw.
Whether With the Dead becomes a full-time gig for any of these three of just an occasional excuse to get together and create some doomy mayhem, their debut is very well done and gives us just what we'd expect from their union.
Track Listing
1) Crown of Burning Stars
2) The Cross
3) Nephthys
4) Living with the Dead
5) I Am Your Virus
6) Screams From My Own Grave