UMUR "Supernatural Birth Machine" is the 4th full-length studio album by UK doom/stoner metal act Cathedral. The album was released through Earache Records in November 1996. It´s the successor to "The Carnival Bizarre" from 1995 and features the same four-piece lineup as the predecessor. So with this release it was cemented that Cathedral would continue with only one guitarist in the lineup, which is something that drastically changed their sound on "The Carnival Bizarre (1995)" compared to the twin guitar doom metal style of the first two albums.

"Supernatural Birth Machine" pretty much continues down the same doom/stoner metal style of its predecessor. It´s generally a little less doomy and slightly more hard rocking, but other than that it´s a natural successor in terms of sound and style. The one guitar approach provides a relatively simplistic touch, just like the case was on the predecessor, but the focus is still on heavy and organic played riffs and rhythms and Lee Dorrian´s often out of tune raw shouting vocals. There is a certain unique charm to his delivery, but damn the man can´t hit a clean note if his life depended on it.

The material on the 11 track, 58:00 minutes long album is relatively well written. There´s nothing offensively bad featured on the album, but there aren´t many highlights worth a mention either. It´s pretty standard quality doom/stoner metal, which could have prospered from more catchiness and a generally more hook oriented songwriting approach. Way too many of the tracks just pass by without leaving a lasting impression. The sound production is organic and relatively well sounding, but it lacks slightly in the punch department. The band are as always well playing, and all in all "Supernatural Birth Machine" is a decent release by Cathedral. Taking their full discopgraphy into account it´s one of their least interesting releases though, and a 3 star (60%) rating is fair.

Warthur Cathedral play a little joke on the listener with the opening track, Cybertron 71/Eternal Countdown, which opens in a gothic-doom metal approach reminiscent of the gothic metal work of Anathema, My Dying Bride, or Paradise Lost - the three other major death/doom bands that emerged in the UK in the early 1990s - before the subsequent song, Urko's Conquest, bursts forth in Cathedral's trademark effusive and enthusiastic stoner metal style. Whilst I am glad that there were bands such as Cathedral who felt confident enough to work against the dominant aesthetic of their local scene, I feel that as far as stoner doom goes Cathedral's material just seems a bit light and tame compared to the likes of Electric Wizard and Sleep.