Dormant — Beneath the mighty Oak
Paulson handles acostic and electric guitar work, bass, vocals, keyboards and programming. With a few guests along the way too giving some vocal and instrumental contributions, but for the most part this really is Paulson’s solo project. He hits us with a myriad of styles, even with-in songs going from; melancholy and intricate folk acoustics, to 70’s almost rock glam chug, to mid-paced to slowed black metal craft, as well as the odd touch of prog/ post rock-isms too.
Paulson clearly is a very talented songwriter offering up some damn fine and effective constructed songs, the only thing is for some reason this doesn’t have a album feel, often feeling like a compilation of different projects as he tries to stretch his sound all over the place not really having a distinctive and cohesive soundbase or personality. That said I highly enjoyed this and there are some great moments along the way like the opener Black Ashers with it’s haunted epic sadness shrouded forestall neo-folk strum and keyboard build, that later swings into slow metallic riff revolutions. It features fine epic spoken word from Andrew Curtis-Brignell of CAINA. Or the title tracks grim forest bound metal craft meets prog organ like opening, that difts into acoustic guitar hazes, forestall metal chugs with hammer Dulcimer over the top and wolf howl samples underneath.
A promising opening release just lacking that album vibe and enough distinctive personality at present, but I’m sure this will come with time. Of interest to those who have enjoy Chet W. Scott( Ruhr Hunter, Blood of Black owl, The Elemental Chrysalis) more metallic and folk moments