Athens group Jehovah On Death turn occult rock into something grand, heavy and sharply melodic on their debut full-length, Lágrimas de Oro. The nine songs draw on Spanish Catholic imagery, poetry, music and old superstition, with Spanish titles and a sense of ritual running through the arrangements. Doom metal weight gives the guitars a slow, dark pull, while the songs keep reaching for memorable refrains and bright, smoldering solos. “Catherine Wheel” and “Blood Madonna” sit comfortably beside the more devotional-sounding “Para Tu Sagrada Angustia.”
Señora Dolorosa leads from the front with a voice that can sound commanding, seductive and almost liturgical within the same song. Classical guitars from Panos kKarti and S.M. add a different grain, while Maria Mandragora’s zapateados and castanets bring the Spanish influence into the instrumentation rather than leaving it as artwork. Fans of Ghost, The Devil’s Blood, Blood Ceremony, Jess and the Ancient Ones or Sabbath Assembly will know the general lineage, though Jehovah On Death also reach back to Blue Öyster Cult’s catchy proto-metal. Recorded at Feedback Studios, mixed by Terry Nikas and mastered by Pieter G. Kloos, Lágrimas de Oro is available as a paid release on FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF and MP3, with vinyl and CD editions too.
