There is a strong doom vibe that permeates Dark Superstition, then, but the core sound is very much that of traditional death metal. Much of the material here is pretty mid-paced, with little of the thrashy side of the genre, but a few pacier moments supply some variety. The album kicks off with Dead Star which is pretty typical of what follows. The song's opening riff is a mid-paced groovy number, overlaid with a mournful guitar lead, a simpler version of which then forms the basis of the verses. There is no full-blown double bass assault here, with the track very much creeping out of the speakers - backed by a more classic rock-inspired groove whilst harmony guitar licks accent each of Mason's vocal lines. The verses are surprisingly hooky as a result, then, with the guitar melodies adding some additional interest, before a grittier chorus with hanging chords and a more subtle guitar lead kicks in. Mason bellows the song's title at the end of each chorus iteration with real power, morphing back into that opening guitar lead, and the song is a great mix of Floridian death metal with the atmosphere of the British death/doom scene - complete with a cutting, yet melodic, guitar solo. Oblivion feels a bit nastier overall, with an opening guitar pattern which features the occasional tremolo-picked line to create a creepy atmosphere - before the overall pace picks up and the band sound more urgent than previously. The song is still not overly thrashy, though, and the arrangement still feels pretty old-school, with Arrebollo's drums sounding raw and hollow and the bass from Brown really cutting through the mix. The production is suitably dirty for a band of Gatecreeper's aesthetic; but the album still sounds huge and the mix is clear. The definition between the instruments is well-balanced and I like how prominent the bass generally is - as that helps the band to sound heavier without constantly relying on endless double bass drum patterns. The pace is more apparent here, though, and the song is less groove-based - with less of a defined chorus and a more chaotic guitar solo to inject some further pace. The Black Curtain returns more to the sound of the album's opening cut, although there is more of a classic rock strut throughout thanks to Brown's pulsing and prominent bassline - whilst Arrebollo's ride-led drumming also feels suitably rooted in the past. The song is less riffy than is typical, too, with the grooves generally coming from a repetitive-but-hooky guitar melody which really defines the song's verses - before big power chords and a more atmospheric lead back Mason's growls during a pretty mournful chorus. Elsewhere, Arrebollo takes a more percussive approach - allowing the grooves to settle in further with some tom-led drum beats. This mix of drumming styles allows the song to have a kinetic energy throughout, along with the prominent bass, and it is a song which has grown on me quite a bit as a result.
Opening with some discordant guitar harmonies, which recall some of Slayer's more lumbering pieces, Masterpiece of Chaos is a creepy, dynamic track which goes for an atmospheric approach in a big way whilst also upping the overall pace. Early on it seems as if the song is going to be another doomy piece, with the aforementioned guitar harmonies and some slow-burning riffs, but soon Arrebollo lays into his kick drums and the song speeds away - with a blast beat backing parts of the verse and more typical double bass drum rolls featured elsewhere. This is the first of the album's genuine fast moments, but the song is well-structured to mix these faster parts with occasional mid-paced sections to allow a groove to establish and to give Mason's vocals more room to breathe. The mix of styles works well, though, and it gives the album a bit of a kick as a result. Going for a more melodic approach overall, though, Superstitious Visions opens with a really hooky yet slow-burning guitar melody which would not have sounded out of place on an older Amorphis album. This song is probably the closest thing on the album to full-blown melodic death metal, thanks to this hooky guitar refrain being reused throughout, but the track is still suitably dirty to allow it to feel at home on the album. The mid-paced, chugging verses are some of the album's most in-your-face and uncompromising thanks to the simplicity of the arrangement - whilst the chorus feels like the album's biggest moment thanks to the aforementioned guitar lead. A later solo builds on some of the hooks from this lead and expands on them, whilst a breakdown section allows for some almost AC/DC-esque riffing to shake things up further. The song has been one of the album's standouts for me since the off and it remains a favourite thanks to the hooks throughout. Those wanting a bit more pace in their death metal will find plenty to enjoy in the vicious A Chilling Aura, which kicks off with some of the fastest drumming on the album. Arrebollo's double bass drumming is extremely all-encompassing here, despite the occasional groovier section, and there are a few more blast beats thrown in, too, although they are used sparingly. The pace, though, and the occasional use of harmony guitar licks does bring those first few In Flames albums to mind - so this is another track with a hint of melodic death metal. I would say that the song is not hooky enough to truly be such, though, and the track is instead a thrashy death metal track with the odd black metal influence thanks to some occasional tremolo picked guitar line and some higher screams from Mason. Like the previous faster song, though, A Chilling Aura is pretty dynamic and does not just rely on its pace. Caught in the Treads returns to the album's trademark mid-paced sound and actually sounds somewhat similar to Superstitious Visions overall with a few harmony guitar licks during the verses and a main riff which feels a bit more modern than some of the others here. That being said, though, this track also feels somewhat more dynamic overall - with a faster chorus which makes use of some double bass drums to inject some additional energy into the piece. Despite not being one of the fastest pieces here, the overall arrangement feels more upbeat - with less of a doom edge and not as much atmosphere. It feels like a song made for the stage and I can imagine it being popular with crowds live.
Flesh Habit continues on the mid-paced feel of the previous song, but the big grooves generally associated with the album's core sound return. Brown's bass is very prominent early on, his overdriven bass sound setting the tone as the song kicks off, whilst more Paradise Lost-esque guitar melodies are employed throughout - which helps to restore some of the creepy atmosphere missing from the previous track. Despite this, though, the song still feels more kinetic overall. It does not creep or lumber around like others here, with the overall energy being pretty strident - with more of the band's classic rock-esque strut on display thanks to the aforementioned driving bass and ever-present guitar melodies. The chorus is also something of a fist-pumper. Mason's sings the chorus in something of a deeper growl than is typical and the guitar pattern behind him feels very heroic and mighty - which helps the song to stand out from some of the others here. Mistaken for Dead ups the pace again and it is the last of the album's thrashy tracks - with a hard-driving rhythm from the off and a certain Motörhead feel in places thanks to the prominence of Brown's overdriven bass and the prominent drumming which is not as complex and relentless as death metal can often be. There is a strong rock 'n' roll feel to the piece, then, but it is still very much a death metal track - albeit without much of the doomy atmosphere that is present elsewhere. This is more of a song where the band can let their hair down somewhat and really rock out - with Mason's growls sounding as powerful as ever here and the guitar solo is a busy and shredded affair to suit the overall pace. It is a short number, too, and the song acts as a final burst of energy before the album comes to a close. That close, though, comes in the form of Tears Fall from the Sky - the album's longest song here at just under six minutes and also its most doomy. There have been lots of doom influences on show throughout this album, but Tears Fall from the Sky really leans into them in a big way - with slow, crushing guitar riffs and gothic guitar leads dominating throughout. Paradise Lost have been referenced a few times here, but there is a strong similarity here to the band's early work - with bands like My Dying Bride also referenced in the guitar department. There is little of that death/doom sound in Mason, though, as his vocals are very much traditional death metal in style - but he sounds ferocious over the slightly more melodic backing and the slower pace allows his voice plenty of space in the mix. The song feels like one which has taken some of ideas featured elsewhere on the album and really run with them - and its length and epic doom feel gives the track the feel of a true closer, with some excellent harmony guitar leads surfacing throughout. These leads are later repurposed at the end, too, as the song fades to the close. There is a lot to like about this album and as someone who has listened to quite bit of doom over the years it is one that I have become attached to quite quickly. There is a lot of melody and mournfulness here despite the heaviness and the songs are varied enough that the album never drags. Gatecreeper are surely one of the leading lights of this brand of death metal and I am sure that there is more greatness to come from the five-piece.
The album was released on 17th May 2024 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for The Black Curtain.
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