In my time as a metalhead, it appears to be all but clear that the entire genre as whole contains a wide swathe of emotions like incredibly few others out in the world, and it feels as though more emotions gets poured into doom than any other style. It’s a trend that’s almost all but obvious should you open your eyes enough to simply see it. Even if it’s not the most uplifting shit you’ve ever heard, the power that can be brought to the table can be enough to leave a crater in the very soul. It takes a talented band to do that, and it’s with their latest album that Lysithea shows us precisely how it’s done in immaculate detail.

Honestly, when I saw that gorgeous cover art and simply knew that I was getting some death/doom, I figured we’d get some heaviness set in the vast void of space that’s as expansive as it is crushing. And given Lysithea consists of two members from the ever-classy Sojourner, what’s not to get excited about? While there’s plenty of atmosphere to completely fit a cosmic-themed album, “Star-Crossed”, instead, goes for that classic punch to the mentality of its listener rather than stunning them with dazzling imagery. What we’re granted with these six tracks are nothing short of the immensely tasteful and emotional death/doom that really knows how to pull you in with its seductive heaviness and rhythms. Then, always at the most opportune moments, Lysithea strikes with masterful execution, a quality that can’t be beaten by most other bands of the style, and compelling nature that permeates all “Star-Crossed” from top to bottom. There are always moments like a riff coming in with a punishing level of satisfaction or lyrical content that simply peels apart the very fabrics of our being to expose a weak, pathetic mass that cowers from Lysithea’s might, and there are simply dozens of those key moments in every single track to make “Star-Crossed” an album that this style constantly promises.

Immensely punishing, unafraid to explore the depths of the human soul, bringing to light the dark truth of mortality, crushing our ears with jaw-dropping riffage, and stunning us with a record that’s mesmerizing in every way; Lysithea has won all over with “Star-Crossed”. And so I repeat to you yet again: what’s not to get excited about?

LISTEN to “Star-Crossed” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Lysithea on Facebook here.