We last heard from veteran Finnish doom metal act Spiritus Mortis seven years ago with The God Behind The God, which was also their first album featuring ex-Reverend Bizarre vocalist Albert Witchfinder, but the long wait is now over with their brand new release for Svart Records, The Year is One. As always, lyrical content surrounding black magic, the occult, necrophilia, and satanism permeate the bulk of the material, with the music a heady mix of doom influences ranging from Candlemass, Solitude Aeternus, Dio-era Black Sabbath, and Pentagram. Of course, riffs are aplenty throughout, and some of the best can be found on the epic sounding "Babalon Working", "Jesus Christ, Son of Satan", and the monolithic "She Died a Virgin", each one packed with booming guitar thunder that any doom fan will certainly appreciate. Witchfiner's high pitched wailing soars above the riffy assault on the crushing "Holiday in the Cemetery", and his mysterious delivery spews evilness on the atmospheric track "Black Magic, White Powder". There's even some cool organ thrown in on the majestic closer "World of No Light", one of the real highlights on the album.
Most of the songs here on The Year is One are fairly lengthy, which, unless you are a fan of some of the more funeral styled doom albums, might be a tad taxing at times as there's not a lot of upbeat or faster paced material here. All in all though, The Year is One does exactly what it sets out to do, and makes for a welcome return from Spiritus Mortis after a long break.
Track Listing
01 Robe of Ectoplasm
02 I am a Name on Your Funeral Wreath
03 Babalon Working
04 Jesus Christ, Son of Satan
05 Holiday in the Cemetery
06 She Died a Virgin
07 Black Magic, White Powder
08 World of No Light
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