Band : The 11th Hour
Album Title : Burden Of Grief
Label : Napalm Records
Distributor : Hard Life Promotion - Rough Trade Benelux
Release Date : 30/10/2009
Review : CD

Ed Warby’s side project The 11th Hour (the masterdrummer behind Gorefest and Hail of Bullets) is quite different from what most Gorefest/ Hail of Bullets-fans may be expecting. There is no real speed factor here, Ed Warby definitely prefer a funereal doom beat, so the smoking guitars and the guttural piano notes can take over. Musically everything is done really well, there's much brutality in the vocal department by guest growler Rogga Johansson (Edge of Sanity, Demiurg, Paganizer) and the instrumentation is very melodic and heavy at the same time. With references to Ereb Altor, Isole, Tiamat, Candlemass and other doomyweights. Thing is, this gloomy 6-track nightmare does have what it takes to really stand up virtually alongside any of those bands.

90/100

Peter.