Gates of Slumber

Gates of Slumber may be the coolest band on Earth and I am going to tell you why: First off, look at them. They clearly aren't getting paid, aren't getting laid, the metal just courses through their blood, they simply have to play. They don't give a fuck about overdubs, pro-tools, photoshop, triggers, haircuts, intellectualism, art, Pitchfork, transcendentalism, or any of that bullshit; their rejection of cool just makes them cooler. They play badass, doomy songs about kings and wizards and barbarians without a drop of kitschy irony. I am pretty sure their new album The Wretch will sit high on my top ten at the end of the year (unless 40 Watt Sun or Loss decide to release nine more albums this year) and not to mention, Gates of Slumber were one of the best bands I saw at Roadburn. They channeled the simple beauty of Saint Vitus' spartan riffing with an intrepid confidence. Gates of Slumber won't ever be cool like SunnO))) or Wolves In The Throne Room, because they do the unfathomable, they play actual metal. Today I present the band's second demo from way back in 2002, The Sabbath Witch, which showed a marked improvement over the first, the awesomely titled Blood Encrusted Deth Axe, I urge you to check out The Wretch. See why Gates of Slumber may be one of the last unpussy metal bands in the U.S.A.

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