The legendary CATHEDRAL is a band that needs no introduction. They were born in difficult times for Doom (and perhaps slow metal in general) but not only did they manage to excel but also had a huge impact to the entire genre. After CANDLEMASS this is the second colossal figure of Doom that calls it quits and offers a farewell record. “The Last Spire” sounds heavy, slow and dark. If you were afraid that they would repeat something as weird as “The Guessing Game” or at least something in the vein of their great Stoner era, you are terribly wrong. The content of “The Last Spire” is definitely closer to their earlier stuff without the long abandoned death vocals of course.
The material does not move anywhere near the classic “Forest of Equilibrium” in matters of originality or even quality, but certainly doesn’t fall below a decent level. In a way their last album feels more like a tribute to the fans rather than a pure spontaneous concept. What is actually worth of respect is this effort is made with care. In this way CATHEDRAL close a huge chapter of Doom with the head high. On to new stuff… hopefully equally exciting!
