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Sleepy Hollow: Tales Of Gods And Monsters
Sleepy Hollow Tales Of Gods And Monsters CD Album Review

Sleepy Hollow: Tales Of Gods And Monsters

Heavy Metal
4.0/5.0

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Pure Steel Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 04.02.2016

Some four years ago, American metal band Sleepy Hollow reappeared after a 20 year of hibernation, and that appearance wasn't pretty. Skull 13 was a dismal disappointment, thanks mostly to shrieking vocals of Bob Mitchell. My digital promo was quickly deleted after writing the review of that train wreck.

Sleepy Hollow Band Photo

Sleepy Hollow

Skipping to the present, Sleepy Hollow resurfaces once more with their third album, Tales Of Gods And Monsters. And here's the good news: it's light year leap beyond it's wretched predecessor. The difference? A better vocalist in Chapel Stormcrow from doom metal band Altar Of Dagon. His voice is one more melodic, even tempered, even tendy toward a more spoken word sound. It's a fine fit for Sleepy Hollow. Their metal is essentially traditional, old school, melodic heavy metal with obvious overtones of doom metal. Having said that, associations are made to something slow, plodding, and foreboding and, in some sense, the observation is correct. Some songs like Creation Abomination, Shadowlands, or Baphomet (the only song where Stormcrow get moderately shriekish) move at slower pace. But tempos are mixed in many songs, swaying between moderate and speedier pacing, such as Bound By Blood or Shapeshifter. What's really terrific across this album is guitar riffs, harmonies, and leads, which are abundant. After this vocalist Stormcrow, follows both the harmony and melody of every song with genuine ease and skill, an approach that will remind you of early Ozzy Black Sabbath. Ultimately, in the end, with Tales Of Gods And Monsters, Sleepy Hollow reminds me more of Candlemass' early heavy doom metal, which is good company to keep. If that's your thing, you will enjoy this album. I did. Recommended.

Sleepy Hollow - Bound By Blood


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In Short

With Tales Of Gods And Monsters, Sleepy Hollow reminds me of Candlemass' early heavy doom metal, which is good company to keep. If that's your thing, you will enjoy this album. I did. Recommended.

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