Published: May 6, 2014

The name Nethermost refers to the lowest point of existence, but it is also a moniker for the melodic and death/doom metal quartet from southern Texas. Alpha is their debut EP containing only four medium length tracks. It is a tribute to nature and its four elements.

All four songs presented here are intense, powerful but also obscure and different. It is rich on melodies and atmosphere which is rather soaking. As stated before the overall sound is melodic but also ambient and emotional. Tempo is mid-paced with great emphasis on the atmosphere. This thick bass sound accompanied by deep and harsh vocals helps in creating this honest and organic sound, as we know it from the mid-90s death and doom scene.

On the other hand I find the chords to be rather simplistic, but it is only a good thing, since it captures the true essence of doom and death metal. Riffs are diverse and mostly melodic, which I enjoyed a lot. Finally, I think that the production of this EP is a bit fuzzy, leaving the space for further improvement.

Alpha is a foretaste for something even better coming from this Texas band. It should esp. appeal to fans of Katatonia, October Tide, Daylight Dies, Paradise Lost, Amorphis and similar established acts.