On Brujas del Mar, Peru�s Reino Ermitano builds on the strength of their debut while expanding their sound into new directions. Even the slowest of songs has an infectious swing to it. And the use of woodwind instruments and acoustic guitar create atmospheric moods that give the Brujas del Mar an admirable amount of depth. See, rather than bludgeon the listener over the head with rehashed Sabbath and Pentagram riffs, the band opts to maximize the dynamics in their songwriting. When they pull back, it makes the heavier songs that much heavier. And as they incorporate South American music into their doom, they put a unique twist on a genre that some insist on rigidly defining.

For the doom fan, there�s plenty to like about Brujas del Mar. Reino Ermitano pays homage to the greats of old without emulating them. They�ve got their own identity and sound, and if you�re looking for something new, this will be right up your alley. And for those who have reservations about foreign language bands, fear not � Reino Ermitano was kind enough to provide English translations to their lyrics.

The music definitely harkens back to an early time period when the doom genre was just starting to take hold. The sound is equal parts Pentagram and Black Sabbath. There is also a distinctive progressive feel in the music that is supplied by the use of non-traditional instruments like mandolin and interesting rhythmical breakdowns within the songs themselves. It's hard to nail the whole thing, but there's everything here from Hellhound-label depression to '90s underground hard rock to pop to prog to straight metal with lots of epic moments of drama. Recommended for lovers of Black Sabbath, Pentagram, Acid King, and all things doomy and groovy.

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