Occupying a niche somewhere at the cross-section of Warning, Pallbearer, and My Dying Bride, Germany’s Cross Vault left quite the impression on the doom scene with their debut album Spectres of Revocable Loss, released only last year. The trio return this year with their sophomore album The All-Consuming, an album that, despite some flaws, manages to carry listeners into a state of appropriate gloom and anxiety while offering glimpses of light through extensive guitar harmonies and strong songwriting. 

In today’s metal scene in which sub-genres continue to cross-pollinate and pigeonholing bands is (thankfully) not as pervasive as it was say, ten years ago, Cross Vault stand apart for their almost tributary stance toward traditional, melodic doom metal. The vocal melodies, the riffing techniques, and even the bare-bones drumming is straight out of the playbook of Warning’s divisive Watching From a Distance. Lest we accuse them of copycatting, Cross Vault add their own flair with solemn acoustic breaks, beautifully harmonized lead guitar sections, and lyrics that are less personal and more literary. That said, it is very hard to shake off comparisons to Warning and Pallbearer’s first album, but The All-Consuming is still generally able to stand on its own two feet.

Album opener “Revocable Loss” starts off sparsely with echoing acoustic plucking before walls of power chords and pounding drums bear down, creating an atmosphere of longing and anxiousness. Vocalist “N” has a vocal range mostly in the baritone, but not quite polished. It adds a raw emotional edge to the songs, but the delivery isn’t always convincing; the struggle to hit certain notes is quite audible. But where the vocals fail, the guitars and rhythm section from “M” are there to pick up the slack; slightly more than halfway through the opener, listeners are treated to sweeping, majestic lead guitar harmonies that redeem the dodgy vocals. Truthfully, this could be said for a lot of the album.

At other points in the album, the music takes a backseat to the narrative of the lyrics, namely on “Simple Marksman in the Pines.” This particular track also highlights some folk tendencies that serve as inspiration for many of the riffs, and  additionally, halfway marker “Amber Nights” eases off the doom and veers into more serene and contemplative territory. While the term is overused, it is an epic track in truest sense, even as the shortest one on the album. N’s vocals find a comfortable spot in the mix, and his range fits perfectly as the guitars weave in and out of soaring leads and resonating chords. The closer “The Words That Pierce No Soul,” minimalist though it may be, is the most compelling track in terms of compositional thought and emotional impact, especially in its last few minutes.

The mix on the album presents some hindrances, unfortunately. The overall sound is too bright given the autumnal and moody sound of the music, with the bass tone particularly sticking out like a sore thumb and taking away from the impact that the music could have. Additionally, aside from some uptempo moments in the opener, Cross Vault are squarely stuck in a downtempo 4/4 march, and not all of the riffs have quite the power to keep me glued to the speakers.

All things considered, The All-Consuming is a solid doom release. With some additional polish on the vocals and some tighter songwriting, though, Cross Vault could well become a newer incarnation of Warning. For those wanting a heavy dose of melodic melancholy, The All-Consuming might be the needle to dull the pain as we head into winter.

– Dustin

The All-Consuming will be released on November 6th through Northern Silence Productions. It is available for pre-order on CD. For more information on Cross Vault, visit their Facebook.