Tar Pit: Tomb of Doom (2018)

Here we have the debut full-length from true doom merchants Tar Pit.  The band hails from the fertile metal breeding ground of Portland, Oregon and features two members of underground death metal band Coffin Rot.  Always on the lookout for some fresh doom metal bands, I decided to take a flyer on the band.  Plus, the album cover caught my attention.

The first thing to note is the appropriateness of the album's title.  This is a very slow-paced album for the most part.  And with just five songs, but a near 40 minutes run-time, the songs are quite long, as well as being slow.  That being said, there are moments where the band speeds things up or gets locked into a Sabbathian groove, and those are definitely the highlights of the album.  Tar Pit's sound reminds me of a kind of combination of The Reverend Bizarre and The Gates of Slumber, with a little Cathedral thrown in for good measure.

Opening track "Rune" features several movements where the band alternately plays a slow section, followed by a stoner-esque groove riff, followed by another slower section.  It also features a lengthy almost psychedelic instrumental section.  The best songs on the album are "Bruja" and the title track, both of which tend to be a little faster in pace and catchier. 

This is an extremely impressive debut from a young band.  I am looking forward to hearing more from them.