If Black Label Society was influenced by Classic Metal and Doom instead of Southern Rock, they would probably sound a lot like Temptation’s Wings. The Asheville, North Carolina-based group features delightfully Ozzy-esque vocals with extra Zakk Wylde gruffness, guitars rooted in beefy bottom-heavy tones with playing that consists of steady gallops and melodic leads, and rhythms with a certain Southern Metal swing. All presented with a barbarian attitude that lends itself well to tales of drinking and mythological conquest.
At first, Marauders Of The Killing Moon (Electric Talon Records) sets itself as a decidedly straightforward listen compared to the band’s previous album, 2017’s Skulthor Ebonblade. That album’s conceptual themes are largely eschewed with the musicians putting more emphasis on their gruffer side, but the tempos still reflect a broad spectrum. The opening ‘Warriors’ and ‘Silent Assassin’ reflect that Classic Metal inspiration the most with the latter featuring a particularly ripping set of chugs. The band also gets a couple excursions into their Doom side; ‘Altar Of Sabbath’ is a nifty listen despite its references being a little too on the nose while ‘Sea Of Woe’ serves up some Alice In Chains-esque brooding.
However, a more dramatic flair pops up during the second half that gives the album some extra weight. ‘Cosmo’ is a nicely swelling instrumental that leads well into the tense, sweeping darkness on ‘Shadow Of The Moon.’ The last couple songs feature the inverse at work as ‘Child Of The Mountain’ is poised to be the closer with its eight-minute length and triumphant Manowar-tinged structure, but the simple acoustic instrumentation on ‘Walk In The Woods’ serves as a pleasant denouement.
Overall, Marauders Of The Killing Moon is the sort of album that does a good job of reflecting its varying influences without thinking too hard about it. While the first half offers its share of fun tunes, the back half is what gives the album some extra dimension. It also helps that the musicianship is consistent throughout with an efficient mix of melody and muscle. I may prefer Skulthor Ebonblade by a hair as far as Temptation’s Wings as a band goes, but anybody looking for a great meeting point between Southern Doom and Classic Metal should check this one out.
Buy the album here: https://temptationswings.bandcamp.com/album/marauders-of-the-killing-moon
8 / 10
CHRIS LATTA