Evangelist – Deus Vult Review

Fast Rites: because sometimes brevity is fundamental.

It’s been a while since doom has had a big enough year that multiple high-quality albums end up falling through the cracks, but such is the case in 2018: PART 3.

Electing to become a doom band has a unique way of limiting your audience. Electing to become an epic doom band has a unique way of limiting your audience even further. Electing to become an epic doom band that’s unafraid to uphold Christian motifs has a unique way of limiting your audience to a point where everyone might’ve already left and I am now typing these words for the family cat, because Marbles is a lazy cat and doesn’t want to get up from the cozy spot right in front of the computer. To you, dear Marbles, I say welcome to your latest obsession: Poland’s valiant champions of noble epic doom, Evangelist.

The easiest comparison is Candlemass and Solitude Aeturnus, which is reliable enough, but the closest kinship to Evangelist is actually the equally under-appreciated Forsaken from Malta, a band that shares a similar “Christian, but from a historic standpoint and not at all preachy” perspective that spotlights mountains of Catholic guilt-ridden leads and saintly vocals that tower like a cathedral spire. It’s clear that Forsaken are the chief inspiration here, as the anonymous Evangelist vocalist sounds spookily similar to the amazing Leo Stivala at times, and as you’re about to hear, that is a very good thing.

Ol’ Marbles and I agree: if you love it heavy, epic, doomy and virtuous, Deus Vult will vault you to the heavens on a righteous warhorse eager for a noble crusade. And if epic doom of this variety ain’t normally your thing, maybe screw your ears on tighter and give it another swing.


Release date: December 20th, 2018
Label: Nine Records

Posted by Captain

Last Rites Co-Owner; Senior Editor; That was my skull!

  1. Have you had a chance to listen to the new Dawn of Winter yet, Cap? Just wondering how it is and how it compares to The Peaceful Dead.

    Reply

    1. Still haven’t had a chance to really dive into that one, McMatt. There was an overwhelming amount of doom this year! I will say that I checked out and enjoyed the DoW vocalist’s other band (well, ONE of his other bands), Angel Of Damnation. Album’s called “Heathen Witchcraft,” and the band shares members with Cross Vault, who also rule.

      Reply

      1. Haven’t heard of either of those two bands. I’ll have to check ’em out. Thanks, Cap.

        Reply

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