It took Sermon almost 4 years after their highly acclaimed debut, “Birth of the Marvelous”, to come up with a new studio work. This time, along with the mysterious Him (vocals, guitars, keyboards), there’s James Stewart (ex-Vader, Decapitated) on drums and Lawrence Jenner on bass. Once again, the album was mixed, produced and mastered by the famed producer Scott Atkins (Cradle of Filth, Elvenking, Sylosis, etc.). The production is powerful, heavy and full. Each song is expertly crafted, with attention given to even the smallest details. The vocals and the drums play a major role in the overall sound of the album.
The band blends various music styles such as prog metal, alternative metal, atmospheric metal, post-metal, and gothic/doom to create a collection of songs that are both haunting and stimulating. It’s not easy to categorize them, but why should you try to do so, if you are satisfied with the final outcome? Bands like Katatonia, Soen, Porcupine Tree and Amorphis (to name a few) may come to mind while listen to the album, but these are just some of their main influences. The songs’ orchestration is very smart, successfully blending diverse musical parts to create a harmonic and captivating sound. The vocals are powerful and emotive, adding an extra layer of depth to the songs.
To cut it short, “Of Golden Verse” is an excellent work that demonstrates Sermon’s amazing knack for creating intricate and captivating soundscapes. The second release will almost certainly introduce the band to a larger audience. Sermon has set the foundation for a promising future.
