Still They Pray is the latest Relapse Records release from Richmond, Virginia's Cough, who return after a five year break to deliver another solid set of crushing, atmospheric & psychedelic doom metal. Produced by none other than Electric Wizard's Jus Oborn, Still They Pray is dripping with fuzz & feedback, with reverb soaked vocals floating over cascades of mountainous riffs and pounding drums. The band are comprised of David Cisco (guitar, vocals), Parker Chandler (bass, vocals), Joey Arcaro (drums), and Brandon Marcey (guitar).
If you love slow doom riffs paired with a menacing, apocalyptic feel and a psych/blues undertone, Still They Pray will certainly be the album for you. Lead vocals are a mix of high pitched wailing along with some almost screechy black metal growls & raps, the latter of which show up on the monolithic "Possession" and the former on the more old school doom of "Haunter of the Dark". The tracks are mostly pretty lengthy dirges, with "Dead Among the Roses" approaching near 11-minutes of anguished sludge, feedback & fuzzed guitar just slaying everything in sight, while the epic "Let It Bleed" takes on a more haunting, psychedelic tone, but is no less heavy. That psych/blues feel also permeates "Shadow of the Torturer" one of the most powerful cuts here, complete with a middle section chock full of behemoth riffs and wah-wah drenched solos. For a complete change of pace, the title track closes things out in anguished, acoustic tones, almost like a strange hybrid of Alice in Chains & Trouble.
Truly heavy in spots, but thought provoking in its more psychedelic moments, Still They Pray is a very solid release from Cough, and well worth the attention of any doom lover out there. One can only imagine the power some of these songs will create in a live setting. Recommended.
Track Listing
1. Haunter Of The Dark
2. Possession
3. Dead Among The Roses
4. Masters Of Torture
5. Let It Bleed
6. Shadow Of The Torturer
7. The Wounding Hours
8. Still They Pray
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