Review by Rosh on December 25, 2021.

Being a heavyweight in the modern realms of traditional doom and heavy metal requires channeling the attitude of veterans from decades past, otherwise it's bound to be by-the-numbers stuff. As it happens, Indiana's The Gates Of Slumber are basically the undisputed, larger than life, balls-out, warring doom gods, and everyone into bands from Saint Vitus to Manilla Road loves them to death. How could they not? Each of their records is the distinct face of a tumultuous journey through a darkened, insurmountable, wartorn, and treacherous world. However, while Suffer No Guilt is so massive in scale and delivery that it feels inaccessible upon first listen, the last few The Gates Of Slumber albums have offered more approachable warrior's doom. Signing to a label like Rise Above Records for 2009's Hymns Of Blood And Thunder, though, it should come as no surprise that the band still retains their unique personality and thunderous sound, despite writing more concise material.

Now, Hymns... was the first The Gates Of Slumber album I heard, and that was back when I was just getting into the basic old school doom metal bands, Trouble, Saint Vitus, and Pentagram and what have you. As soon as 'Chaos Calling' went into full-swing with the driving verse riffs, I couldn't believe what I was missing before - certainly proof that quality is to be found anywhere if you dig for it. The Gates Of Slumber are one of the very best doom bands located deeper into their niche (but still well known overall).

So, the two opening bangers, 'Chaos Calling' and 'Death Dealer' hook you in and make you bang your head a whole bunch, making it clear that you've stumbled upon same damn good metal. Along those same lines, it's not just the in-your-face anthems that do this either, because the slower doom metal songs on Hymns... like 'Beneath The Eye Of Mars' and 'The Doom Of Aceldama' still remind you that you're listening to a metal album, balancing the doom and the metal, hence doom (fucking) metal. These guys are able to capture a more epic (although still sorrowful and grim) atmosphere than before on the slower songs, 'Doom Of Aceldama' and 'Descent Into Madness' especially. It's more melodic whereas Suffer No Guilt was very much just a barbarian bludgeoning. I think Conqueror was where this more melodic trend began for The Gates Of Slumber. However, what they do on the newer albums isn't really like Candlemass' "epic doom" - I would more compare it to the theatrical feel of Lord Vicar and Reverend Bizarre except it's American made obviously.

This album does really well with the deep cuts. The second half opens with 'The Bringer Of War' which is one of the most bludgeoning doom/heavy metal songs I've heard to this day, and after Karl sings the first line, the riff hits you in the gut like 10,000 sledgehammers. It literally brings iron and steel to mind with the warlike themes. On that point, reaching the final track, 'Blood And Thunder', is quite literally like prevailing in a lengthy battle with only mace and chain or sword and shield at hand, the scars on your beaten body reflecting immeasurable sacrifice.

Get Hymns Of Blood And Thunder if you want some classy, ballsy, larger than life doom metal in your listening diet. There's quite a well-balanced and strong tracklist to be found here, and it serves as a damn fine introduction to this stronghold of a modern doom band. Nothing here really comes off as a weakness. This band is basically the Bolt Thrower of doom metal, do I really need to say anymore?

Rating: 9.3 out of 10