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BLOOD SPECTER
Farewell

Fucking Kill (2025)
Rating: 8/10

Lumbering out of Bielefeld in Germany is this doom metal mob that I’ve not come across before. Blood Specter, which formed three years ago, is fronted by Rebecca Möller and the sound the quintet creates is of a traditional doom metal stance; heavy grey slabs of traipsing riffs caressed by the soaring melodies of Möller.

I guess it would be all too easy to slot this in the generic cauldron of similar sounding bands, but Farewell doesn’t boast that wistful occult vibe. What I sense here is a combo nodding towards an early-to-mid 90s influence as the topics of despondency and desperation weave through pallid corridors and sinking headstones.

Songwriter-in-chief and lead guitarist Marvin Diekmännken left the band shortly after the five tracks were recorded and so the sense of loss is evident throughout. His ghostly plays provide monolithic tempos that resonate as pure echoes of doom. The opening track and namesake song ‘Blood Specter’ yawns like a bloated hippopotamus emerging from its slumber. The riffs engage the listener to their crunch but never shift beyond a majestic mid-tempo plod. Even so, it’s far from monotonous. Instead, Blood Specter carve out epic Candlemass-esque leering soundscapes. The slowness isn’t sludge-based or lethargic, the chunkiness of the riffs and bell toll chimes of the drums are just simple yet effective heavyweight rumbles.

There’s nary a hint of pace change throughout although there are subtle shifts of melody, but it’s the apocalyptic weight of songs like ‘Griefbearer’ which makes this album so impactful. Hearing Rebecca alter from bellowing goddess to wailing despairing wraith is an utter joy, especially amidst the tumbling drums which cascade like grey waterfalls. That’s not to say this is dismal or bleak in nature, in fact at its most emotive the musicianship is stark, but it’s all just so damn heavy that a winch might be required to lift it onto the turntable.

Closer ‘Silent Calendar’ is an absolute behemoth led by a percussive performance of Tobias Laufkötter which should cause earthquakes. I hope this album doesn’t slip under everyone’s radar because this is bone-shuddering doom for the metal masses.

Neil Arnold

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