Labels: Rise Above
Review by: Alex Deller
Given their name and lineage (guitarist Gaz previously chucked riffs about in Cathedral) you’d naturally expect Death Penalty to dose out some pretty sturdy doom rock, and, lo, that’s exactly what they do. The two songs here are neatly constructed, crisply recorded and come fully loaded with big, punchy riffs and an overall vibe that recalls a grab-bag mix of Rainbow, Mourn, Pentagram and ‘Hopkins’-era Cathedral. Star of the show is Michelle Nocon, whose powerful vocals snake between those big ol’ riffs and spur things steadily along. I wouldn’t say either track’ll totally blow your mind, but they represent a sturdy statement of intent and are decent enough that I’m now fairly set on giving the album a whirl. Cool.