Death/doom lovers get a fix on this featured release. Gateway’s guitar riffs are fuzzy, the way grunge guitars used to be, partly inspired by Black Sabbath and the early doom scene. The guitars sound so downtuned, the riffs sound like they’re played from a bass guitar. Expect simple but catchy riffs on Gateway’s self-titled release. They play a little chugga-chugga, then slow down to a crawl, the downpicks lurching to the sound of vocals that sound like low gurgles.
No blasts or uptempo beats, ever. Gateway don’t play essential doom/death, but the result is a catchy record that’s easy to enjoy on a casual listen. Death metallers only have the vocals to savor, as the band play mostly stripped-down death/doom with a drum machine and a guitar that sounds like it was run through a synthesizer.
Wonderfully low-fi and Necro the way Al Necro loves it, Gateway uses production values that would sound good on an analog system. There’s not that much shredding on here, and the band chuggs along without much straight-on groove, but the resulting music is as dark and suffocating as strapping an oxygen mask to your truck’s muffler. Play at loud volume and watch worms come out of the ground with the sheer reverb produced.
Lots of necro metallers will like a sojourn to death/doom with this album. Track two, “Vox Occultus,” is the album highlight. The slight inclination to groove is here, albeit not much, but the track sets the tone for the rest of the material. There are plenty of bands that have strayed into occult rock inspired by Satanic imagery and lyrics, and Gateway is no exception, although they are not an occult rock band. The album cover is fetching and the deep bellowing vocals will please many who favor this vocal style. Track eight, “The Shores of Daruk,” ends the self-titled album on a high note, featuring slow monotonic chugging riffs that clings to you like a leech. Every bit of friction on the guitar strings brings about some huge fuzz, and little pick slides and chord movements sound coated with dank moss. Enjoy this gloomy bit of ritual moonshine, cvlt peeps!
