Green Lung's 'This Heathen Land' - Album Review

As I have mentioned a few times on this blog over the past couple of years, I have recently been making much more of an effort with doom. I have expanded my knowledge of doom quite significantly in recent times but there is still a lot more to learn - and I tend to be quite predictable when it comes to the type of doom that I tend to enjoy. Perhaps more so than any metal subgenre, doom is extremely broad. From the most bluesy Black Sabbath worship that makes up much of the stoner scene to death metal-adjacent bands like Draconian and Swallow the Sun, doom covers a lot of ground - and I tend to go for the more melodic bands which play the 'epic' doom sound pioneered by Candlemass and some of the heavier bands that mix gothic atmospherics and lead guitar melodies with more extreme metal influences. My latest foray into the doom metal world brings me closer to home than many of the Scandinavian examples which have dominated my listening up to this point - and to the third album from the London-based five-piece Green Lung. Entitled This Heathen Land, the band's third album is their first release for a couple of years - and also their first release on a major record label. It is also the first thing that I have heard from them - but since its release last month it has been on semi-regular rotation due to its retro sound, approach to melody, and overall atmosphere. The band are often referred to a stoner/doom band, but in truth I am not sure I agree with that description. There are certainly doomy moments throughout the album's nine songs, and guitarist Scott Black has certainly heard a few Black Sabbath albums, but to me This Heathen Land feels more like good old-fashioned classic rock with a folk edge and a raw overall atmosphere. I do get the impression from reading reviews that the sound of this album differs a little from the band's previous work, so it may be that the previous two albums and the EP which make up Green Lung's catalogue have more of a stoner sound. I am not much of a fan of stoner music, so I am pleased that there is not too much of that to be found here. Instead, most of the material here is mid-paced and up-tempo 1970s hard rock - with more taken from Deep Purple and Uriah Heep than from the traditional Black Sabbath. There are some Black Sabbath moments here, of course, but the presence of John Wright's Hammond organ is too dominant to bring Black Sabbath to mind too often. That is why Deep Purple and Uriah Heep are more apt comparisons in my opinion, As mentioned previously, too, there are also some folky moments to be found. The slower moments feel quite organic, but even some of the tougher moments channel the heavier, more organ-driven end of Jethro Tull's early output - albeit without the whimsical vocal melodies and flute which defined that band. Vocally, though, Green Lung certainly stand out. Frontman Tom Templar has been compared a bit to Ghost's Tobias Forge here, and I can see why, but Templar feels more full-bodied and unhinged here than Forge's more precise and calculated melodic approach. Tone-wise there are similarities, though, and some of Ghost's more organic and organ-driven material could well have also been an influence.

The album was mixed by Ghost collaborator Tom Dalgety, who is also credited with 'additional production', so this likely explains the few Ghostisms to be found here. I do think that the comparison has been overegged somewhat, though, as This Heathen Land is generally just a strong retro rock album. The opening Prologue sets the scene, with haunting, but matter-of-fact, spoken word bringing that fairly niche brand of 1970s folk horror films to mind. The monologue, which is also on the back of the CD case, sets the scene of England pre the influence of Christianity - and a lot of the songs here channel those pagan times. Kicking off proper, then, with The Forest Church, the muscular, mid-paced piece sets the band's stall out early on. A slow-building drum barrage from Matt Wiseman opens things up, before the first of Black's many big riffs kicks in - backed as always by Wright's organ. The songs here are generally very guitar-driven, but the importance of the keyboards should never be understated. This album is as good as it is due to the Hammond roaring as much as it does - and as this song's verse takes over the organ essentially becomes the lead instrument, backing Templar's creepy opening vocal melodies. The song is quite dynamic, then, with lighter, yet spooky, verses mixing well with a heavier chorus and plenty of reprising of that opening riff. The percussive drumming and the subtle bass playing of Joseph Ghast back the organ layers of the verses, with Black taking something of a step back. There is plenty of strong guitar playing throughout the album, so the restraint here is somewhat welcome - and it just means that the chorus hits harder when the guitars kick back in. The chorus hooks are memorable, too, and Templar's melodies stick in the brain despite his slightly strange delivery. A solo section later sees Black cut loose with some melodic playing, but it is perhaps Wright that really owns this part - with a busy organ solo which takes me right back to the 1970s. Mountain Throne builds on the heavier moments of the opening song and goes for the throat in a more overt way. This track is much more guitar-driven from the off, with a faster-paced riff setting the tone - which is often off-set by some excellent washes of organ. Whilst the opening cut was more dynamic, this track is much heavier overall - and there is little let up here in terms of energy. The riffing certainly has a strong Black Sabbath vibe here, but the pace is generally faster than is typical of doom - and the urgency gives the song an enjoyable energy. The drums crash around the riff, too, and Templar really goes for it during the verses - which feel much more full-blooded than what came before. The chorus is similarly energetic but it feels bigger still - with much more of a keyboard presence. The melodies throughout are very hooky, though, and it is one of the songs here which stood out to me from the off. I can see the track becoming a live favourite thanks to its energy and melodic chorus - and it is great to see Black cut loose again with a pretty busy and lengthy guitar solo. Fans of retro hard rock will love this one and it is the sort of song which could end up defining the band.

Maxine (Witch Queen) is similarly upbeat, but the overall vibe feels much more organic. The organ tends to drive the song, with the guitars taking on a more rhythmic approach this time. Big guitar chords fill the song's intro, but the melodies early on come from Wright's organ. The keyboard playing is busy throughout the song, then, and there are also a few moments which feature some pretty prominent bass playing to add a slightly different overall edge. Like the opening song, the verses feature relatively little guitar - but they feel more up-tempo and rocking than those found during The Forest Church. The rhythm section ensure that the overall groove remains and the energy feels pretty pulsing throughout - with Templar sounding a bit more unhinged and plenty of growl from the Hammond. The chorus features more guitar weight, though, and it is another pretty hooky moment - with some subtle gang vocals and a more theatrical approach from Templar; perhaps justifying those Ghost comparisons! Another busy solo section sees the keyboards and the guitar once again join forces - and the quirky song rocks to an up-tempo close thanks to some excellent interplay between Wright and Black. One for Sorrow returns to something more dynamic arrangement-wise and it is the first song here which genuinely sounds like doom. It is much slower than anything which has been heard on the album up to this point, with the opening heavy guitar riff taking on a sludgy tone - whilst the tolling of a bell adds some trademark doom hallmarks. The song is not relentlessly heavy, though, and the verses tend to be quite slow-burning. The drone of the drums creates a slow tempo, whilst the weaving keyboard melodies add an appropriate amount of atmosphere. This allows the chorus, which is heavier, to feel much weightier when Black's guitars kick back in. The opening riff is somewhat repurposed here, but there is also more of a keyboard presence - and Templar goes for a slightly more anthemic vocal approach despite the slower pace. Later sections of the song are much heavier overall, though, and the pace does pick up a little. A more guitar-led instrumental section certainly channels Black Sabbath from a riffing perspective, even if the keyboard melody which sits over the top of it is more progressive in nature. This leads into a heavier vocal-led section, which gives the song a bit of a last minute kick, before a slightly more unhinged version of the chorus sees the track some to an atmospheric close. Sticking with a slower pace, Song of the Stones acts as the album's ballad - and it recalls those many folk rock bands of the early 1970s, albeit with a creepy edge. Acoustic guitars and Templar's voice dominate, whilst the very rudimentary percussion brings pagan campfire gatherings to mind. Generally these simple sounds make up the verses, but the chorus is a bit more 'arranged' - with what sounds like some subtle flute melodies (Ghast is also credited with woodwind), but there are also sounds which feel more like they have come from a synth (or are the modern equivalent of the Mellotron's flute setting). Regardless of the sounds' origins, they set the tone nicely - and the track is a very organic expression of the band's core sound without all of the heaviness that is found elsewhere.

The Ancient Ways is much more typical of the album's core sound, though, and it returns to something much more hard rocking - with a guitar hero intro that mixes fat riffing with some soaring bluesy guitar leads. The mid-paced track has quite a bit of bite and this main riff certainly sets the tone. Unlike many of the songs here, the guitars are very present during the verses - so the track feels more overtly metal than some of the others. The keyboards generally take a bit more of a back seat here, although Wright's playing does still provide depth. The occasional warm synth lead and the organ backing during the chorus ensure that the band's retro sound remains intact - but generally this piece feels more muscular thanks to the ever-present guitar riffing of Black and Templar's grittier vocal delivery. Initially in place of a more typical instrumental section, though, the song does veer off in a different direction briefly - with a bass-led part introducing a bit more atmosphere overall, which Templar adds some strange, distant vocals over the top of. Black does soon launch into a guitar solo, though, but the atmospheric addition is welcome. Hunters in the Sky ups the pace and it is really only the second faster-paced track here along with the excellent Mountain Throne. This song is similar to that early cut, though, with a great headbanging riff opening things up - albeit with less of an organ presence this time. The organ still adds depth to the chorus in particular, but this is very much a song about Black's riffing - and the song is very much a no-nonsense rocker as a result. Strangely, though, it is probably the song here which experiments the most vocally. Templar really goes for it here and there are lots of harmony layers employed throughout. These have been used before, but it feels as if the band really wanted to lay down some Queen-esque choral vocals here - and this works nicely in place of the more prominent keyboards found elsewhere. The song ends up acting as a good representation of Templar's abilities, then, but Wright does not get left out - as he unleashes an organ solo late on, much to my pleasure. The album then comes to a close with the more meandering and progressive Oceans of Time. Black has written the album's music up to this point, but Oceans of Time is Wright's composition - so it is perhaps fitting that it opens slowly with a drone and the occasional synth melody. Templar soon joins in, adding his wispy vocals to the early moments, but the rest of the band soon crash in - and the track becomes more expansive, with a strong guitar backing, organ washes, and a more full-bodied vocal approach. Given the progressive leanings, the song does not stay in one place for too long. It is another pretty dynamic piece, with slower sections focusing more on atmosphere often permeating - and there are many different keyboard sounds used here aside from the more traditional organ. Lots of synth melodies inject themselves into the piece which diversifies the keyboard approach - and the guitar playing is perhaps more lead-based than is general, too, with lots of textured playing and melodies alongside a few more typical riffs. The song feels like the band stretching out a bit more, then, which is fitting considering that it closes out the album - with a final upbeat section giving way to some synths which fade to a gentle close. For a band that I did not know a huge amount about until recently, This Heathen Land has impressed. It certainly ticks a lot of the 1970s classic rock boxes which I like - but it does not feel excessively rooted in any one band's style. There is a decent amount of variety here and I can see myself coming back to it quite a bit - and I fully intend to seek out the band's other albums shortly.

The album was released on 3rd November 2023 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Maxine (Witch Queen).