CATHEDRAL — The Ethereal Mirror (review)

CATHEDRAL — The Ethereal Mirror album cover Album · 1993 · Stoner Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
Unitron
This album completely changed my definitions of what doom metal could be (to the point of not even knowing if this is doom at all, but who cares). Doom metal is usually all about sounding dark, lethargic, and/or depressed right? Cathedral said 'fuck it', here's a bit of ominousness, but lets have some fuckin' fun.

Never have I heard another band come from the genre with this much exuberance, energy, personality, infectious hooks up the ass, grooves, and a special goofy charm that only Lee Dorian can pull off. Listening to the singles of Ride and Midnight Mountain make me wonder how the hell these guys didn't make it big. The riffs are massive, and the songwriting is honed to create the perfect metallic bop. Even songs like Enter the Worms, Fountain of Innocence, and Grim Luxuria balance out lumbering doom with huge grooves that bring a party.

Frontman Lee Dorian really commands the stage, he sounds like a party animal who doesn't know when to quit. His vocal style is so unique, with this weird and charismatic tone that brings light to every song no matter how dark the guitar riffs sound. Even when he's not 'OH YEEEAAAAH' and 'GROOVIN' ALL NIGHT', he's singing the chorus of Grim Luxuria the same way. It's absolutely fantastic.

Rather than filing this with Candlemass and Saint Vitus, this is probably better thrown together with grunge and groove metal (At least that's what I typically pair it with).
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
Tupan wrote:
more than 2 years ago
There's no other band as Cathedral. Menacing and fun at the same time, like you said in your review.
Vim Fuego wrote:
more than 2 years ago
The first two albums basically set the blueprint for the rest of Cathedral's career. Every album after them is varying mixtures of Forest of Equilibrium and The Ethereal Mirror.
UMUR wrote:
more than 2 years ago
I actually mostly find the first two albums great, and the rest a bit more meh..., but that´s my subjective view :-)
Unitron wrote:
more than 2 years ago
I like the debut too, but it lacks the groove and hooks that I love Cathedral for. For me, the 1992-1995 era of the band was the best.
UMUR wrote:
more than 2 years ago
I agree...it´s an absolutely brilliant album. My personal favorite is still the debut album, but this one is a close second...

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

The Way Forward Sludge Metal
BLACK TUSK
Buy this album from MMA partners
Till Aska Atmospheric Sludge Metal
WALK THROUGH FIRE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Oud Zeer Atmospheric Sludge Metal
ONTAARD
Buy this album from MMA partners
Oud Zeer Sludge Metal
THROWING BRICKS
Buy this album from MMA partners
War. Metal Related
WHORES.
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Agremorta - Adrocitas (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Agremorta - Ploratus Umbra (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Agremorta - Vertex Membrana (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 1 day ago
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR - The Temple Of Curved Space (Official Track Stream)
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR
adg211288· 2 days ago
In Sulfur - The Gate (OFFICIAL VIDEO) 2022
IN SULFUR
Bosh66· 2 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed