June 25, 2018 by A.S. Van Dorston

Like many metal fans, I immediately embraced Khemmis on their 2015 debut, Absolution. Chunky doom with dual lead guitar driven NWOBHM, traditional and power metal elements, what’s not to love? When I caught them on their first brief tour, however, I more clearly saw why I loved the parts, but not the whole. These guys have impeccable taste and no shortage of ability, but did not quite gel into an awesome live band. This is understandable, as they work full time with limited amount of time logged on the road. It’s pretty remarkable to see how quickly a band on a small label that does not tour heavily became such a known and admired quantity so quickly. Khemmis pulled it off partly because they do hit so many pleasure buttons, with the aforementioned mix of genres, both clean and extreme vocals, epic fantasy and intellectual engagement.

Their third album Desolation is in many ways their most accomplished, though it remains to be seen if it’s their most satisfying. The first half of the album is definitely the strongest, with the sprawling lead track “Bloodletting.” It pounds and soars, breaks into a chugging gallop, throws in some solos and gives us pretty much everything we’d ask for in an intro song. Possibly their most accomplished song is their shortest and most succinct, the 4:48 “Isolation,” which finds the band at their most catchy and melodic. “Flesh To Nothing” also hordes many of the album’s best riffs, melodies and solos. On that track, Phil Pendergast sounds like Alice In Chain’s Layne Stayley when he sings the chorus in a lower register. His lead vocal work has definitely stepped up from their first two albums. But that isn’t always a good thing. I feel “The Seer” leans too heavily on his vocal lines, and it gets a little monotonous. I would love to hear the band prog it up a bit and throw in some more interesting changes. That’s something they are more likely leave to their labelmates Spirit Adrift.

And then there’s the harsh vocals, which seem shoehorned into the songs like a lost and confused cookie monster. I could do without Ben Hutcherson’s growls and screeches, the only concession to black and death metal. When most of their influences range from 70s rock to NWOBHM, doom and early thrash, they sound out of place to me. But they’re brief enough that it doesn’t ruin the experience for me, and I can see how the versatility of the two vocalists can be an asset some ears. I will admit that “Maw Of Time” probably would not work as well without his vocals. But then again, it’s also my least favorite track. After two so-so tracks in a row, the album is already nearly done, as the band likes to keep ’em short and sweet, each one between 41 and 43 minutes. Fortunately the album concludes on the strength of the fabulous epic “From Ruin,” featuring some killer solos, and vocal and guitar harmonies.

Despite my reservations, this is no hobby project. Khemmis are clearly passionate and committed, and when I see them live later this week, I expect they will be much improved. They just might prove to be worthy of being a top tier favorite alongside Slough Feg, Spirit Adrift and Magic Circle (where the heck are those guys lately?) after all.

<a href="http://listen.20buckspin.com/album/desolation">Desolation by Khemmis</a>