Bottomless – The Banishing Review

[Artwork by Marco Zanin and Sara Bianchin]  

Bottomless return two years after their debut with their sophomore album The Banishing. And it must be said: all hail Italian doom metal. While the primary comparables for Bottomless hail from such futuristic countries as The United States and The United Kingdom, there are plenty of links to the European schools of doom from such tremendous former kingdoms as Finland and Italy. Their brand of doom is palatable, digestible, and completely perfect for any and all situations, seasons, 

“The Great Unknown” (why not start with the second track on their second LP) is a mix of pace, from plodding like a steed mired in muck to a philly galloping across a well-trodden plane of lupins like Dennis Moore returning from yet another successful conquest. Another fun aspect of this tune, “fun” being of course relative when speaking about doom, is the killer lead lines shredded melodically like a hot cauldron of oil being poured slowly on the assaulting troops. Those lead lines turn into lovely harmonized lead lines before dropping out into a slower verse undercut by distinctive, staccato rhythmic chord progressions emblematic of the Bottomless approach to super solid clean vocal doom.

Later, “By the Sword of The Archangel” broils forth ancient crevasses in the Dolomites. Another didactic chord progression supports straightforward vocals delivered in a gracefully halting fashion. As they do frequently across The Banishing Bottomless deliver a chorus full of melody, an amplification of the vocals into melodic phrasings and a nearly gothic, bluesy section reminiscent of Type O Negative. Whereas, elsewhere on the album, on tracks such as the opener “Let Them Burn” the vocals take on a nearly grunge, Alice in Chains style of vocal bends and phrases.

Influences aside, it should be noted that Bottomless, featuring cacophony of well-established musicians, creates a journey all of their own. They are not beholden to their influences but rather conscious of inserting them where necessary to make the composition on The Banishing enticing and gripping. At times the guitars are as thick as Reverend Bizarre and at other times they are thin and melodic akin to the older school of Pentagram and Saint Vitus. It’s this blending of influences, in this pattern and methodology, that makes Bottomless unique in their approach to doom metal.

The album, as a whole, is a complete win. It’s an album you can spin on repeat during those solitary evenings when you’re looking for a bit of spooky in your life but also feel like rocking out. While the album certainly has a vintage sheen loosely painted over the top it retains a uniquely timeless and present feel. And while it also retains a uniquely somber, doomy feeling the lead lines certainly pick up the mood and deliver a tastefully positive spin on the forthcoming afterlife.